Lovin Leviticus right now.
I'm reading through Leviticus...stay with me...it gets exciting. I'm LOVING it. Honestly, over the years, I have skimmed through the book with yawns and questions that have left it so not appealing to me. Rules and laws that I don't understand. Stories in the old testament usually appeal to me. Not Moses' long list of to-do's and to-don't's that literally don't apply to me since I am covered, now, in His blood...
And that is where I get excited. I'm covered in the blood now. God told Moses to have the priests cover the alter in the blood of sacrifices in order that the sins of the people might be forgiven. Ritually, Aaron and his sons would faultlessly, according to scripture, sprinkle the blood of a lamb or a beast specific to the type of offering on the corners of the acacia wood that was carefully sculpted as the Lord had instructed. Pages of instructions were written by Moses in more than one book that re-told the laws that God gave him on Mt. Sinai.
Reading through Leviticus right now is giving me a clear understanding of what the word "forgiveness" really means. The power and the grace of God is becoming more clear to me than it once was. Growing up a Catholic, I was told that if I said enough Hail Mary's, God could forgive me. The idea is similar to what is taught in the Old Testament. I struggle often with the fact that I don't owe God anything. On the best of days, I can't earn God's love for me. He just does. He wants to forgive me.
Lately, when I am unhappy with the sin that I am in, and I ask God to forgive me, I am beyond humbled by the power behind the word, forgive.
When I ask the Lord to forgive me, I am seeking a depth and a grace that is stronger and bolder than anything that I can imagine. The words, "forgive me" have such strength. The power of Heaven is behind them. His son died that I might be forgiven. I believe that God was offering the early Israelite's grace by giving them the Law. But even the Law was there for them to recognize their sin. Humbly, they would come and offer their best to show God that they understood the Power of His righteousness.
I regularly mess up. In little things. I'm not gifted as a detailed-oriented person. And it makes me cringe when I read Leviticus, and think that I could have died for making a mistake the same way two of Aaron's sons did; which I know I would have made. I have no doubt that all of my accomplishments are because of Him. I know that because He lives in me, I have strength to do things, and yet I mess up. It makes me so appreciative of Him, and His abundant love. Reading Leviticus is like looking at a mirror. I don't measure up.
What kind of love is that? Despite our circumstance and our sorrow, despite our mistakes and our sin, or even despite our joy, we are forgiven if we accept His sacrifice. And we accept it as the offering table might. We allow ourselves to be covered in the blood. And we rejoice in his resurrection, and believe that He died so that we are forever forgiven. No more sacrifice is needed than Him.
And what does that look like in my daily life? In everything, I rely on Him. I rely on Him to get me through working at home, and raising kids, and cleaning the house. I rely on Him to help me in relationships. I rely on Him to forgive my mistakes, and challenge me. I rely on Him to sharpen my character, and to strengthen me. I rely on Him to help me shop for groceries, and to help me decorate my house, and spend my money. I rely on Him to forgive me. I can't do any of it, and often fail and ask Him to help me learn. I want to learn more about Him.
I love the scene when Jesus was saying farewell to His followers at the dinner table. They seemed so anxious, and sad when He said that He was leaving to prepare a room in His Father's house. After asking many questions, He told them:
“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:15-21
The commands that God gave to Moses were reinstated at the cross. Jesus told them that not only would He send an advocate to help us, but that if we loved Him, it would be enough. His words are so comforting. I realize my sin. I realize my inability to work as He would have me work. But He promised to send an advocate to help me. And even though I often make mistakes, He forgives me, corrects me, and guides me daily, and I have a lifetime of evidence to prove this.
Reading through Leviticus has been giving me such excitement about His love for us. And the power that is in His story.
And that is where I get excited. I'm covered in the blood now. God told Moses to have the priests cover the alter in the blood of sacrifices in order that the sins of the people might be forgiven. Ritually, Aaron and his sons would faultlessly, according to scripture, sprinkle the blood of a lamb or a beast specific to the type of offering on the corners of the acacia wood that was carefully sculpted as the Lord had instructed. Pages of instructions were written by Moses in more than one book that re-told the laws that God gave him on Mt. Sinai.
Reading through Leviticus right now is giving me a clear understanding of what the word "forgiveness" really means. The power and the grace of God is becoming more clear to me than it once was. Growing up a Catholic, I was told that if I said enough Hail Mary's, God could forgive me. The idea is similar to what is taught in the Old Testament. I struggle often with the fact that I don't owe God anything. On the best of days, I can't earn God's love for me. He just does. He wants to forgive me.
Lately, when I am unhappy with the sin that I am in, and I ask God to forgive me, I am beyond humbled by the power behind the word, forgive.
When I ask the Lord to forgive me, I am seeking a depth and a grace that is stronger and bolder than anything that I can imagine. The words, "forgive me" have such strength. The power of Heaven is behind them. His son died that I might be forgiven. I believe that God was offering the early Israelite's grace by giving them the Law. But even the Law was there for them to recognize their sin. Humbly, they would come and offer their best to show God that they understood the Power of His righteousness.
I regularly mess up. In little things. I'm not gifted as a detailed-oriented person. And it makes me cringe when I read Leviticus, and think that I could have died for making a mistake the same way two of Aaron's sons did; which I know I would have made. I have no doubt that all of my accomplishments are because of Him. I know that because He lives in me, I have strength to do things, and yet I mess up. It makes me so appreciative of Him, and His abundant love. Reading Leviticus is like looking at a mirror. I don't measure up.
What kind of love is that? Despite our circumstance and our sorrow, despite our mistakes and our sin, or even despite our joy, we are forgiven if we accept His sacrifice. And we accept it as the offering table might. We allow ourselves to be covered in the blood. And we rejoice in his resurrection, and believe that He died so that we are forever forgiven. No more sacrifice is needed than Him.
And what does that look like in my daily life? In everything, I rely on Him. I rely on Him to get me through working at home, and raising kids, and cleaning the house. I rely on Him to help me in relationships. I rely on Him to forgive my mistakes, and challenge me. I rely on Him to sharpen my character, and to strengthen me. I rely on Him to help me shop for groceries, and to help me decorate my house, and spend my money. I rely on Him to forgive me. I can't do any of it, and often fail and ask Him to help me learn. I want to learn more about Him.
I love the scene when Jesus was saying farewell to His followers at the dinner table. They seemed so anxious, and sad when He said that He was leaving to prepare a room in His Father's house. After asking many questions, He told them:
“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:15-21
The commands that God gave to Moses were reinstated at the cross. Jesus told them that not only would He send an advocate to help us, but that if we loved Him, it would be enough. His words are so comforting. I realize my sin. I realize my inability to work as He would have me work. But He promised to send an advocate to help me. And even though I often make mistakes, He forgives me, corrects me, and guides me daily, and I have a lifetime of evidence to prove this.
Reading through Leviticus has been giving me such excitement about His love for us. And the power that is in His story.
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