Leviticus 27:28-30 - ‘Nevertheless no
devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all
that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his
possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most
holy to the Lord. No person under the ban, who may
become doomed to destruction among men, shall be redeemed, but shall
surely be put to death. And all the tithe of the land, whether of
the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s.
It is holy to the Lord.
Because the priestly tribe of Levi were the only ones
dedicated to the service of God…anyone else that felt the calling to consecrate
something to God had to follow some rigid procedures that involved a straight
up payment to the priests ...different prices for gender…age…land ...or seed
from a harvest. It was a voluntary thing…and
even the poor who did not have the amounts listed…could go to the priest and
let him set the price.
I thought of sweet Samuel’s mother… Hannah….who prayed so
long for a son…that she vowed to dedicate him right back to God when he gave
her this heart’s desire. When the child was weaned she took him to the
tabernacle along with the proper offerings.
1 Samuel 1:24 says... “Now when she had weaned
him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and
a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh.
And the child was young.”
Voluntary offerings don’t involve any rules since Jesus fulfilled
the law God gave to Moses with his great sacrifice on the cross. But that never
changed the fact that all we have belongs to God. Our lives still become a holy offering to him
when we dedicate our hearts and lives to him in belief of his death and resurrection.
Vows are still serious business to God.
I had a conversation with a sweet group of ladies yesterday
after we had finished working in the food ministry at church. They wanted to
know why a few bracelets I had worn that day…that some had admired… quickly
left my wrist and were given away. I told them how my heart had felt for years
that all I had belonged to God…and how it gave my heart such joy to share any
of it with others that might get a bit of joy from the gift. I had such fun going
through my stash of beads to see what else I might need to recreate the one
they liked the best.... ready to spend a bit of time the rest of this week
making some more for the ones who did not get one. It is a great reminder that giving away what
God has shared with me is a powerful way to share his love with others.
Father…thank you for reminding me that everything I have
belongs to you. And thank you for the
opportunity to share some of it with others.
Forgive me when I let the craziness of life…and my own selfish desires hide
the opportunities you send to me to share even more with others. Help me to
keep my heart …eyes….and ears tuned in to you so I won’t miss these great
chances to share your love. Amen.
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