Just Eat It
I'm reading Leviticus right now. It's not exactly the action/adventure book of the Bible. Neither is it the romantic comedy book of the Bible. It's more like reading a book of Law. That's convenient, really, since it is a book of Law!
Can't say I read many law books. But this one is pretty interesting. In this passage God is telling Moses the precise manner in which sacrifices are to be made. It's very detailed. Do this with the ram or the calf. Do that with the fat. Burn this part. Give that part...oh, and leave a little behind for the priest who helps you make the sacrifice.
I've always assumed that last part, leaving some of it behind for the priest, was about providing for the priest. God was setting up a system that would allow a priest to minister without having to be too concerned about where his basic necessities would come from. I still think this is part of it, but, after reading this again, I don't think that's really what God was up to.
As I read I notice that God didn't just give the meat of the sacrifice to the priest. He gave him very specific guidelines for how, when and where he should eat it. God wasn't saying, "Here's a little something for your time." He was including the priest in the process of illustrating His incredible, life-giving grace.
The priest was commanded to eat part of the sacrifice. This physical act of the priest consuming the meal was symbolic of how we must receive the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The meat the priest would eat would become part of him. It would provide him the energy and sustenance needed for life. Over time, it would reshape his physical body and be a continuous reminder of the grace of God given for him.
That's exactly how we are to receive the grace of God through Jesus Christ. It's more than mental assent to a creed or set of beliefs. It's not simply acknowledgment of the fact that Jesus was an important person, prophet or figure in history. There's more to it than recognizing and respecting the message of this man named Jesus. You have to take Him in. You have to consume and be consumed by the grace that he gave through His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. We even have an ordinance within the church that reminds us of this. It's called the Lord's Supper. We remember his life and death by eating elements that symbolize His body and blood.
Today - take the grace of God into your life. You'll never be satisfied with external symbols or religious rites. It's only when you take Christ into your life and allow Him to reshape and energize you from the inside out that you will discover what it means to truly be forgiven and free.
Created over 1 year ago
