The above passage takes place in the midst of a great plague on Israel. David, in his folly, chose to number the people of Israel instead of trusting God to meet their needs as He always had. As punishment, God told David to choose between three consequences, and David chose the pestilence in the land (not that any of the choices was pleasant). At one point, the Lord stays the hand of the angel of vengeance and gives orders for David to set up a sacrifice and repent of his sin. Thus, the passage above takes place, and David asks Ornan if he can use his threshingfloor for the offering.
What I want to focus on is Ornan's response. Not only did he agree to let David use the threshingfloor, but he also offers his oxen, his instruments and his wheat. Notice the last phrase of his statement: I give it all. He wasn't kidding. Think about it. He was giving up his livelihood and his means of survival. He was willing to give the building, the equipment, the animals and his crop of wheat. What did that leave him? His house, maybe. But such was his devotion to the king that he was willing to give everything he had without concern of how he would survive after the fact.
What about us? When the Lord comes to us and asks for our hearts, are we willing to give them? Better yet, are we willing to go beyond what he asks and give Him our all? You see, there are many who give their hearts to the Lord but nothing else. They're saved, but that's it. Once they've acquired salvation, they really don't see the need to give anything else. Sad, but true.
Will we be the same way? Did we give our hearts to Jesus only for what we could gain in return? Are we willing to offer Him more? Our time, talents and ambitions? Our hopes, dreams and energy? Are we able, like Ornan, to declare, "I give it all"? If not, why not? What is stopping us from giving our all to Christ?
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