It was a beautiful, warm, sunny spring day which, no doubt, prompted a moaning response from a seven-year-old, “Oh no! Do I hafta . . . ?” She was expressing her feelings of injustice at being expected to complete her schoolwork after lunch was over, rather than being allowed to go outside to play.
Her mom gave a wise answer, one perhaps used often by parents facing similar circumstances.
“When I get up in the morning to fix breakfast, do you hear me moan, ‘Oh no! Do I have to fix food and wash dishes again today?’ ”
There was no response from the little complainer, so mom continued, “When I vacuum the carpet, scrub the kitchen floor, and wash your clothes, do I wail, ‘Oh no! Why do I have to do this? It’s such a nice day; I’d rather go for a walk’?”
By this time, the beginning of a sheepish grin was appearing on the reluctant little girl’s face. But even though she well knew the answer to her mom’s questions, she was still rather unwilling to apply mom’s lesson to herself.
Does this apply to us? Are we willing, eager servants of the Lord, or begrudging givers and doers?
Running and Hastening
Throughout the Word of God we have examples of those who were willing and eager to be of service—to the Lord or to others. One of the very first is seen in the life of Abraham, the “father of all them that believe” (Rom. 4:1111And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: (Romans 4:11)). Sitting in the door of his tent in the heat of the day, Abraham looked up to see three men standing by him (Gen. 18). With a sense of who these visitors were, he “ran to meet them.” They accepted his earnest invitation of hospitality and waited while he “hastened” to the tent and told Sarah to “quickly” knead bread to serve them.
But Abraham’s eagerness to prepare for and serve the Lord did not stop. He “ran [to] the herd,” selected a suitable animal, then “hastened” to prepare it for his heavenly guests. Only after he had served was he still: “He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.”
But Abraham’s eager willingness was to experience a much more severe test. We only understand a little of what it must have meant to Abraham’s heart when the Lord told him to offer up his beloved and “only son Isaac” (Gen. 22:22And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:2)). Our hearts, naturally speaking, would not have been surprised if the divine record had suggested some hesitancy or slowness in obeying on Abraham’s part. Instead, we read that Abraham “rose up early in the morning” to start on that solemn journey to Mt. Moriah.
A Young Woman’s Eagerness
The young woman who was to become Abraham’s daughter-in-law showed the same sweet trait of a ready, willing spirit. When his servant asked her for a drink of water, Rebekah “hasted” to let down her pitcher. Her lovely spirit further displayed itself when she “hasted” to draw water for his camels and “ran” to fill the watering trough. Then, telling him that her home certainly had enough to supply his needs and the needs of his animals, she “ran” to tell her mother.
We have a further example of Rebekah’s willing, eager spirit. Upon arriving back at Abraham’s home, Rebekah sees a man coming to meet them. When she learns that it was Isaac, the man she was to marry, we read that she “sprang” (JND) off her camel.
A Willing Spirit
Thus it was that when the people came to offer materials and to help, the Spirit of God records that it was those who had “willing” spirits that brought to the Lord (Ex. 35:2121And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. (Exodus 35:21)). Over and over we learn in Exodus 35 that both men and women who had “willing” hearts made and brought for the tabernacle. The Lord, we may say, was not interested in begrudging giving—He desired free-hearted, willing liberality for the place where He would dwell among His people.
The Greatest Example of Willingness
The greatest example of a willing heart is our blessed Lord. “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:88Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. (Isaiah 6:8)). In Hebrews 10:99Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (Hebrews 10:9) this prophetic utterance is fulfilled: “Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.” How perfectly willing and eager, we may say, He was to fulfill His Father’s will and gain a bride!
In this day of spiritual apathy, may our hearts and spirits also be eager—willing to serve our Lord. He deserves and longs for such a response from each.
Ed.