Today Daily Devotional

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No Tube Steak
“If your offering is a fellowship offering . . . you are to present . . . an animal without defect.” — Leviticus 3:1 When I was growing up, our family would often grill meat for our meals in the summer. My parents enjoyed grilled steak, but it didn’t seem sensible to use choice meat for four young kids who didn’t appreciate a sirloin. So instead they put “tube steak” on the barbecue just for us. We were satisfied until we learned that tube steaks were just hot dogs!It's one thing to use a lesser kind of meat when feeding a large family, but it’s quite another to try to pass off less than our best to God. In Leviticus 3 God spells out the requirements for fellowship offerings. These sound similar to the rules for burnt offerings (Leviticus 1), but the fellowship offering illustrated the joy of living in a peaceful relationship with God. God’s desire was to draw his people into relationship with himself. So, as the holy and true God, he called for receiving animals without blemish or defect. In addition, with these offerings the people had to separate and offer all of the fat portions to the Lord. Why? Because the fat was considered the choicest part of the animal, and that was to be dedicated to God.Romans 12 expands on this idea, noting that our response to God’s mercy is to offer the best that we have: our very selves! Do we offer God our very best? When we give of our time, talents, and treasure, do we give God our best, or the leftovers? In view of God’s mercy, let’s offer God the very best of all we have! O Lord, you have made us your sons and daughters! May we honor you by joyfully giving our best to you! In Jesus, Amen.
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Dealing With our Guilt
“You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.” — Leviticus 1:4 I’m not proud of this, but I’m a recovering guilt-denier. When confronted with something that I’ve done wrong, my first reaction is to deny, argue, or even blame others. Many of us do that. Others, however, absorb guilt and get stuck in shame and self-loathing. Still others take their cues from our feel-good culture and deny that there’s anything wrong with us to begin with. But our conscience won’t let us off so easily. Deep down, we all have a nagging awareness that we fall short, even of our own standards.God offers a better alternative. In the opening chapters of Leviticus we find pictures of hope and forgiveness. Each offering of a type of animal or food served a different purpose, and each sacrifice could be different, depending on a family’s income. The burnt offering dealt with the people’s fundamental problem of guilt. The person laid their hand on a bull, a sheep, or a bird, and the animal would be killed in place of its family. In this way the penalty for sin would be covered, and the offering would make “an aroma pleasing to the Lord,” signifying God’s favor and blessing.Of course, as Hebrews 10:4 explains, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Those offerings illustrated that Jesus, the Lamb of God, would eventually become the ultimate sacrifice for us. Jesus’ death was an offering pleasing to God, and now God’s favor shines on us! Merciful God, we rejoice in the forgiveness you extend to us in Christ, our Savior! Amen.
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The Lord Calls and Invites
The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him. . . . He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say. . . .” — Leviticus 1:1-2 Yesterday we saw how God’s perfect holiness meant that even Moses, whom God had specially chosen, had to be careful about approaching the Lord. How then could the people themselves have fellowship with God?In the opening verses of Leviticus, we see that God speaks first, inviting the people into relationship with him. And God sets the terms.Maybe we imagine that we can decide how to relate with God. For example, some people suppose that living a highly moral life earns God’s acceptance. Others downplay the seriousness of sin. But these approaches are woefully inadequate, failing to take God and his holiness seriously—not to mention the fact that we are all sinful and cannot even approach God unless he makes a way possible for us.God’s presence will come into our lives, changing every part of us—our relationships, our work, our desires, our priorities, and our whole outlook on life. But we enter God’s presence on his terms.God appointed Moses to teach the people what was needed to live in God’s presence at that time. Centuries later, God spoke his word again—and “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Jesus is God’s Word to us, and he came to teach and save us so that when we look to him in faith, God’s life-changing presence enters our lives! Holy and awesome God, you are present with us always! We thank you for Jesus, who makes it possible for us to live each day in your presence. Amen.
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The Danger of Beauty
Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it. . . . — Exodus 40:35 I first approached the Grand Canyon while holding the hand of my two-year-old son, Derek. He was energetic and loved exploring the world around him with little concern for potential harm. As the south rim came into view, I experienced two emotions at the same time. I was stunned by the beauty before me. Creation reflects the glory of the Creator! At the same time, I felt genuine fear: one misstep, or one reckless move from my son, and the worst might happen! In a way, the very grandeur of the Grand Canyon made it dangerous.The tabernacle was like that in some ways too. It filled the people with joy and awe in the majesty of God’s presence. But as the cloud of God’s presence descended, a danger emerged. God’s glorious presence is so holy that nothing impure or imperfect can be there with him. Even Moses had to be careful, for God had said, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20).We face a similar problem. We may long for God’s presence, but because of our sinful nature we are imperfect. But, thankfully for us, God has provided a way for people to live in his presence. His Son, Jesus, came to stand in for us, even giving up his own life to pay the debt for our sin, so that we can be declared right with God (Romans 3-4)! And now, because of Jesus’ finished work, we can be made new and enjoy life with God forever. Lord Jesus, you took on our guilt and sin so that we can live in God’s presence. Hallelujah! Deepen in us a longing to live for you each day. Amen.
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Longing for Beauty, Filled by God
. . . The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. — Exodus 40:34 I realize that you might be thinking, “Leviticus? Uh-oh.” In the book of Leviticus we find rules about skin infections, bodily fluids, religious festivals, and animal sacrifices. Is the book of Leviticus even relevant for us today?To understand the purpose of Leviticus, we need to start with the scene in today’s reading. The tabernacle, a tent-like structure that served as a portable temple, was a beautifully designed space where God came to be present among his people. It became God’s dwelling place, where the beauty of God’s presence came to fill his people with joy and peace.We are created with a longing for beauty deep in our souls. This longing stirs when we see a beautiful sunset, listen to uplifting music, make an exciting discovery, or taste food that delights our tastebuds. But our longing for beauty cannot be satisfied until we realize that beauty always points us to its source: God himself!Out in the desert long ago, God’s glory must have left the people awestruck. The author of all that is good and right came to live among his people even in the wilderness.Many years later the presence of God returned when Jesus, God’s Son, came and “tabernacled among us” (John 1:14, literal translation). Jesus came to save us from sin and fill us with new life so that we can have joy and peace with God forever. By faith in Christ, we can have a relationship with God that fills the deepest longings of our heart. Glorious God, thank you for the beauty of your love, salvation, and new life in Christ! Amen.
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