Free will

DEVOTION

EXODUS

FREE WILL

Ex 35:20-29

20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun — blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

NIV

The Lord commanded what was to be done, but all this is about free will. There is no compulsion here. There is no assignment of work here. There is nothing but the free will of men and women deciding to offer their material possessions and labor to the work of the LORD. There may be many times in our lives when we are asked to give something toward the work of the LORD. The difference is in the way of the asking. Here we are told the LORD commanded what was to be done, but the people were told if they were willing to bring and to do the various tasks to accomplish what the LORD commanded. Again, we cannot see anything other than, the LORD commanded, if you are willing. If at any time we are asked to give either of our material sustenance or our time and labor with some kind of pressure of made to think we are obligated, the asking is not of the LORD. The LORD desires for us to have a heart for him. It is when our heart moves us to give and to do, the LORD is pleased. He is all about wanting us to do everything from our heart. From the very first time we make the heart choice to believe, it is our own free will doing it. Certainly the Holy Spirit was sent to convict us of our sin, but even under conviction we had the choice to refuse and go our own way. The scripture is clear that whosoever believes will be saved. It does not say that God demanded us to believe. The scripture is clear that whosoever humbles himself, the LORD will exalt. It also says that if we exalt ourselves we will be humbled. But the point is it is our choice, our free will. If that flies in the face of John Calvin, so be it. The Scripture is clear, God neither wants robots which he programs to serve him, nor does he force his will upon his creation. He makes an offer, first for salvation, second for a blessed life. He makes the offer and it is our choice to accept or reject his offer. Here we see the people responded willingly to bring all the material needed and to do all the work required to build the Tabernacle. We had just seen how sinful they had been in the making of the golden calf and their revelry in worship of it. They had to have the knowledge the LORD was gracious to them. Although they had also just experienced a portion of his wrath when the Levites went throughout the camp killing several thousand of them. Whether their hearts were moved out of the fear of the LORD or out of thanksgiving for grace, it was still up to them to execute their free will. That should still apply to our lives. The difference is that we are under the New Covenant of Christ. Because we decided, because we made the heart choice to believe, we have nothing to fear in this life, but there are many scriptures which tell us we should fear the Lord. However, that is not being afraid of God, but reverence of God. He is still God and we are but his creation. It certainly puts us in the right place when we consider the power and might, the majesty of God and then we look at ourselves. But we do not have to be afraid of his wrath because we are in Christ. We have or experience his grace. But that is due to our heart choice. When we give of either our material goods, or our time and skills or talents it is because we do it from our heart, our choice. It is interesting that all that was needed to be given and to be done was given and done, all from the free will of the people. It would seem that whenever God desires something to be given or done, he will find a way to get it given and done. God’s will always is accomplished, even within the free will of man.