THE WIDOW'S MITE, TAKE TWO (Deuteronomy 16)

We all know the story of the Widow's Mite. Jesus and the disciples watched people putting money into the offering box, or however the money was collected. They must have also brought an offering when they arrived. Some people made a big show of how much they gave.

One poor widow arrived and gave two pennies, the smallest coins of the realm. Jesus said, "She gave more than everyone else, because she gave everything she had."

Her story sprang to mind when I read this verse from Deuteronomy 16:17: No one is to show up in the presence of God empty-handed; each man must bring as much as he can manage, giving generously in response to the blessings of God, your God.

The widow gave more than she could manage; she gave everything. It was more than generous; some would call it foolish.

But I bet she hardly felt the loss of the money. She felt so blessed by God, she was compelled to give everything she had. She knew the meaning of blessing and rejoicing in the Lord far beyond her daily circumstances.

Oh, Lord, make me like her--in my attitude and in my giving.

LEADERSHIP IN GIVING (Numbers 7-8)

In the first chapter of Numbers, Moses appointed one man from each tribe of Israel to assist in taking the census.

By chapter 7, we see that those men had grown into leaders. They worked in a clearly coordinated, planned, effort, to present offerings for needs they perceived in beginning Tabernacle worship.

In chapter 8 we read the repetitive list of silver and gold vessels, grains, incense, livestock. Each tribe gave exactly the same items, none of which were commanded by God. They gave willingly and in a coordinated effort.

But back in chapter 7, they began with a very practical need: wagons to carry the furnishings of the Tabernacle, and oxen to pull them.

Their offering flummoxed Moses. I can see him now, scratching his head, asking God what he was supposed to do with the unexpected offering. He must have been puzzled, because God had to spell out the answer: "Receive these so that they can be used to transport the Tend of Meeting."

I love it. Men recognized as leaders, acting under Moses's direction, and then acting on their own initiative. And the first thing they wanted to do was to give back to God. They did nothing to puff themselves up.

May our leaders today do the same.

A TALE OF TWO BIRDS (Leviticus 14)

Leviticus 14 details the offerings to be given when a person with infectious skin diseases, or a mildewed house, are declared clean. Both offerings involve two birds.

God gave the option of two doves or pigeons for those who couldn't afford a total of three lambs. Whether livestock or birds, one becomes a whole burnt offering and the second animal, a compensation offering. The priest dabbed he blood of the animal on the right earlobe, thumb and big toe.  (This is where I get squeamish and dash on ahead.)

The house offering also involves blood (of course). But there are several differences: birds are the required offering, and cedar wood, hyssop, scarlet thread, and the second bird, are dipped in the blood of the first bird.

And then . . . here is what caught my attention with a sense of relief--the second bird is released in an open field. 

Four birds brought for an offering. Three die; one is released. Why? and more importantly for the reasons of this devotional, why do I care?

A little meditation suggests several things:

• People are more important than things. The more costly offering--in terms of money and of life--celebrates the release of a person from uncleanness.
• The creation suffers when we suffer. This is not a sin offering, but for our disease. Call it an early version of animal testing, as it were. (does that make me political? LOl)
• God is sovereign. Sometimes He chooses one over the other. One bird dies, the other lives.
• With the last thought: God sometimes spares us when we deserve death. 
• When God does something amazing for us, such as healing us from an infectious disease or providing healthy housing, we should respond with an offering that costs us something. 

I pray you find these life lessons from the nuts and bolts of the law as challenging as I do. 

THE HEART OF THE MATTER (Leviticus 10)

Today's reading brought me to one of those uncomfortable, I-wish-this-wasn't-there passages of the Bible: when God's fire killed Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire.

Shades of Cain: They offered the wrong thing.

God had given extensive, specific directions for the ordination offerings. The breed, sex, age of animals. The spices. The ingredients for the anointing oil and the incense. And over and over again we read some variation of "they did all that the Lord commanded."

Aaron and his sons had just completed seven days of being closeted with the Lord in the Tent of Meeting, completing the days of ordination. Imagine the joy, the hopes, the pride mixed with humility, of that week! How they must have studied and reviewed the laws God had given them, to be sure they understood. Of all the 600,000 Israelites, God had chosen this small family unit--Aaron and his four sons--to serve God throughout all generations as a perpetual priesthood.

A high of all highs for Aaron and his sons.

The ordination week ended, they began their ministry on day eight, and right out of the gate Abihu and Nadab offered "strange fire."

I struggle to understand this. My experience with God is of Someone who looks at the heart more than what I hold in my hands, not a teacher who will rap my knuckles for passing notes in school.

And from what the Bible says over and over again elsewhere, I know the truth that God desires mercy and not sacrifice.

So why here? Why to the anointed leaders? Why after such a high?

I have to think that, the same way as I mentioned about Moses a few days ago,  God held the anointed priests to a higher standard.

After seven days of fellowship and intensive study, they knew how to present the offering. And they chose to do something different. Something not God-ordained. They more or less said, "We don't care what You say, God, we're going to do what we want to."

The question switches from "why did God send fire on them?" to "what were they thinking?"

I suspect that, after all, God did look on their hearts--and didn't  like what He saw.

EAT YOUR BREAD AND ENJOY IT

Did I read that right? After all the admonitions against offering yeast (except as the firstfruits), there is an offering that requires yeast bread?

Yup. "Along with the Peace-offering of thanksgiving, present loaves of yeast bread."  Leviticus 7:11-15

Leaven is often used to symbolize sin--thus the call for unleavened bread with the sin offerings and atonement offerings.

But obviously the issue here isn't about sin. God would never ask for sin to be an added ingredient in our offerings.  But when we make a peace offering, a "thank you" to God for what He has done for us --then the flavor, the pleasure, of yeast bread is appropriate.

This continues the thought of yesterday--there is a time and a place for everything. And a peace offering, which is not a penance, but a freewill offering out of a full heart, requires giving of those things that give us joy.

If during Lent we eat unleavened bread, on Resurrection Day, we break out the wonderful rolls and celebrate the peace His death and resurrection brought us.

Today let's enjoy one of those wonderful rolls in my logo--and think of all the wonderful things God has done for us.

THE RIGHT SEASONING (Leviticus 2)

I confess, I always take a deep breath and pretty much hold it until I finish reading the book of Leviticus. The nuts and bolts of the law generally bore me.

So when I turned the page from Exodus to Leviticus today, I asked God to especially open my eyes to what He wanted me to see and to share with you.

Given the name of my blog, "My Daily Nibble," a chapter on Grain Offerings certainly is appropriate inspiration.

Verses 12-13 caught my attention. In them, God gave three instructions about seasonings:

1. Don't add yeast or honey to grain offerings which will be burned. Don't offer them as a "pleasing fragrance."
2. Do add salt to every grain offering.
3. Honey and yeast are acceptable offerings as first fruits. 

Does anyone out there watch "Chopped" (or any of the other competitive cooking shows)? Over and over again the judge cut chefs for not using the right seasonings.

You could say God gave the recipe for which seasonings to use for success.  He didn't disapprove or dislike honey and yeast. He only set up regulations for how and when they enjoyed. That sounds like a few other things--like sex and money. Good, pleasing gifts from God--when enjoyed at the right place and time. 

Different seasons for different seasonings.

Different gifts for different people too. I might be "honey" (people call me "nice" and my writing "sweet"). You might be "salt." The fact God is using you all over the place today doesn't mean I don't have a place of service in His kingdom. My role is unique, and so is yours. 

Ask God for advice about the right seasonings for your life and ministry.