Aaron and sons finish up their priestly ordination period in Leviticus 9-11. The tabernacle is consecrated and holy. The Lord continues to make His directions for worship very clear to Aaron and the Israelites. And then, we see that it's not aways easy to follow God's instructions when Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu offer unauthorized fire. In an instant of carelessness, they lose their lives. Following God isn't always easy, and sometimes we are called to make necessary judgment calls with Him in mind, in the moment.
Here's where my mind keeps going from today's reading. The Lord is holy, and He wants us to be holy.
10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,
44 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean...
So what does being holy mean for you and me?
At least for me, I hear God calling me to be more and more like Him, more like Jesus. I have to continue to give Him the authority in my life, even in the "heat" of the moment. That's when I have a tendency to be most careless, like Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu.
Certainly, we are lucky we do not have to worry about sacrificing animals, thanks to Jesus. But we do have to think about ways in which we need to let go of our own, selfish ways in order to follow God and experience the fullness of His glory in our lives.
Read what Jesus says on this matter of self-reflection and discernment. It's important to us as we come before God.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup...
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
"More discerning with regard to myself..." I know I always have room to grow in Christ. Those on-the spot decisions I have to make are where I think I need to start.
How about you?
A prayer for today-
Dear God,
Thank You for making me holy in Christ. Forgive me for having bad judgment and forgetting to give You the authority in all that I do. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to bless me with discernment with regard to myself so that I may experience the fullness of Your glory.
I pray for _______________ who also need the blessings that follow Your discernment.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen
Grace,
*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project. Click here to read more.
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