Counted for God

Exodus 30:12-16 -  "When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.  Each who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.  Every one who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering.  The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for yourselves. And you shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for yourselves." 

Each year they were to count themselves…and each man that was 20 years or older was to make an atonement offering to the Lord. A half shekel…rich or poor the offering was the same…for we are all the same in the eyes of the Lord. They were to bring their offering once a year to give ransom for themselves to the Lord…a token…a one time payment …to atone for the life…the existence that God had provided for that year….and to prevent any plague from harming them that year. The money would be used to provide for the ‘tent of meeting’….to provide a way to sustain the needs of the tabernacle.

This was an extra offering…not connected to the other offerings they would have brought to pay for individual sins. God simply wanted the people counted each year…and for them to know that they belonged to him.  He wanted them counted…he  wanted them to recognize who had provided to them for their life…for their health….he wanted them to be counted each year as one of ‘his’ children….and bring the small token of a half shekel…for the priest to use to sustain the needs of the temple.

God probably watched them as they filed past the priest that day… he searched their heart…to see if they truly loved him…or if they simple brought their half shekel out of duty. Makes me wonder if I would have risen early….ran toward the tabernacle..to be the first in line to give my offering…to make sure God knew I loved him ..and ‘wanted’ to be counted as one of ‘his’ children. 

Father…I thank you for counting me as one of your children. I gladly line up and proudly stand in line with my half shekel.  Help me to always feel the need to be counted as one of your children…and show me how to be thankful that you offered your son as the ultimate offering of atonement that day on the cross. Amen.