a willing heart

Read Exodus 35, Luke 16

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of the meeting and all its service. So they came, men and women, all who were of a willing heart. From Exodus 21 & 22

In yesterday’s meditation we talked about the cost of children. Tongue in cheek, I wrote how the financial experts say it costs at least a quarter of a million dollars to bring a child to adulthood. If that were the case, we would have been millionaires for my wife and I have three adult children and one who is pushing the borders of adulthood. It would have been pretty cool to identify one’s self as a millionaire—like a winner of that game show.

In truth, my wife and I are more than mere millionaires because of our children, for wealth that is worth the trouble comes from having children who have a willing heart.

I mentioned my son David in yesterday’s devotion. Regardless of our efforts, as a teenager and a young adult, David would generally make choices contrary to our desires and our hopes.

But now, on a semi-regular basis, he calls me or his mother because he really desires to talk to us. I’m quite certain he does not do this out of a sense of obligation. He does it purely because this is what he wants to do. He likes us. In fact he loves us. He wants to do things for us that he knows gives us great satisfaction. He even tells me, and I believe him, that he wants to do a major bicycle trek with me this summer.

It doesn’t get any better than that!

Question: What do you do, like the Israelites, with a willing heart