Willing and Glad.
"Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly."--I Chron.
xxix. 9
We thought yesterday morning about giving our members up to God for Him to
use. Did you think you would like to give them up to Him? _did_ you yield
them to Him? If you did, you will understand this morning's text! David
the King asked his people to help in bringing offerings for God's house
and service. He said, "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this
day unto the Lord?" And God made them all willing to bring what they
could. And what then? "_Then_ the people rejoiced, for that they offered
willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord."
"And did eat and drink on that day before the Lord with great gladness."
See what came of offering willingly to the Lord--they "rejoiced," and
everything they did, even eating and drinking, was "with great gladness."
Never is any one so happy as those who offer their own selves willingly to
the Lord. He gives them a thousandfold return for the worthless little
self and weak little members which they have offered to Him. He gives them
peace, and gladness, and blessing, beyond what they ever expected to have.
But this was not all; it was not only the people who had such a glad day,
but "David the king also rejoiced with great joy." Those who loved their
king, and recollected how much sorrow he had gone through, and how many
battles he had fought for them, must have been glad indeed to see Him
rejoicing because they had offered willingly. And I think our King, _your_
King Jesus, rejoices over us when He has made us able (ver. 14) to offer
ourselves willingly to Him. Is not this best of all? Jesus, who suffered
for us, and who fought the great battle of our salvation for us, He, our
own beloved King, "will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His
love; He will joy over thee with singing."
"In full and glad surrender I give myself to Thee,
Thine utterly, and only, and evermore to be!
O Son of God, who lovest me, I will be Thine alone;
And all I have, and all I am, shall henceforth be Thine own."