Praising God with Giving

1 Chronicles 29, which details the collection for the temple, is one of my favorite sections on the Bible regarding stewardship. David provides an excellent example and then challenges others to follow his lead, which they do exceedingly well. All of it shows a real trust in God to provide for one's needs. An interesting section in the People's Bible describes how David's giving of his personal treasure (verse 3) is a bold statement of just how far his trust in the Lord goes: "In the ancient Near East, a ruler's personal fortune (as opposed to the official funds of the state) was his hedge against disaster and trouble. It was a financial security blanket, should war or intrigue deprive him of his throne. Once we grasp this, then we understand that David's action here is a public placing of his life and security into God's hands. It was a way of expressing with deeds the trust David had always affirmed in his psalms: 'My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge' (Psalm 18:2;31). Faith is willing to abandon all earthly guarantees and rely solely on God."