6. Sixth Day.
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."