After God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle — with specific, detailed instructions — and gifted individuals to do the work, the willing-hearted people were His means of providing all the supplies to complete it. God set the pattern in Exodus 25: He gave the instructions, then opened the door for willing hearts to meet the need.

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. — Exodus 35:22

God is honored when we willingly, by believing Him, give at our own expense to bring Him glory according to His stated purposes. King David understood this: “Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.” (2 Samuel 24:24) Costless offerings honor no one. Willing-hearted, costly giving declares that God is worth it.

God takes volunteers.

He could have written His message in the sky, or upon every rock under it. Instead, He chose to deliver His message to every corner of the earth through people who have believed Him and, with willing hearts, offered themselves as living sacrifices to be used of Him. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35) The same pattern holds today: God states the need — laborers for the harvest, supplies for the work, senders for the sent — and then waits for willing hearts. There are people busy in missions, or wanting to be, who are not sure of the objective or how to assist the team; together we can give them the information they need to engage their willing hearts in the role for which God has prepared them.

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