Today's Scripture
Worthy and Unworthy Offerings – Leviticus 22: 17-25
Today’s Reading Schedule: Leviticus 22-23 (CEB)- Click to read
From: The Message
17-25 God spoke to Moses: “Tell Aaron and his sons and all the People of Israel, Each and every one of you, whether native born or foreigner, who presents a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, must make sure that it is a male without defect from cattle, sheep, or goats for it to be acceptable. Don’t try slipping in some creature that has a defect—it won’t be accepted. Whenever anyone brings an offering from cattle or sheep as a Peace-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, it has to be perfect, without defect, to be acceptable. Don’t try giving God an animal that is blind, crippled, mutilated, an animal with running sores, a rash, or mange. Don’t place any of these on the Altar as a gift to God. You may, though, offer an ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted as a Freewill-Offering, but it is not acceptable in fulfilling a vow. Don’t offer to God an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut-off testicles. Don’t do this in your own land but don’t accept them from foreigners and present them as food for your God either. Because of deformities and defects they will not be acceptable.”
Sue's Devotion
What Does the passage Mean to Me/US?
Chapter 22 gives us the laws concerning priests and sacrifices; all for preserving the honor of the sanctuary. It is declared many times that no sacrifice should be accepted if it has a defect. This law was necessary for preserving the honor of the sanctuary and of the God that was worshiped there. It is fit that everything presented to his honor should be the best of its kind; he that is the best must have the best. This law made all the legal sacrifices fit to be like Christ, the great sacrifice from which all these derived their virtue. Christ was the lamb without blemish and without spot. When Pilate declared, “I find no fault in this man”, he pronounced the sacrifice without blemish.
We are instructed to offer God the best we have in our spiritual sacrifices. If our devotions are void of focus and communion with god, it is like we offer the blind, the lame and the sick for sacrifice. We not only attempt to cheat and deceive God, but we also cheat our own soul. T.S. Eliot says,
“All our knowledge brings us only closer to our ignorance,
And our ignorance brings us closer to death.
But closeness to death does not bring us closer to God.”
And then he asks this question:
“Where is the life we have lost in living?”.
Prayer
Heavenly and gracious Father, We come to you again to ask for you to guide us in our discernment of your will; help us to honor you with the choices we make to be whole and holy in you.
In Jesus Christ. Amen
Contributed by Sue McCoy
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