If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the LORD, you are to offer a male or female without defect. – Leviticus 3:6

Today's Scripture Reading (October 31, 2021): Leviticus 3

One phrase that has always frustrated me was that something was "good enough for the church." I have heard the phrase applied to donations, but also to the tasks that we volunteer to do for the church. Maybe it is an attempt to clean something that is "good enough for the church," Or a performance that we haven't practiced as much as we should have, but it is "good enough for the church." I had an associate pastor years ago that just about lost her mind whenever she heard the phrase.

But the reality is that churches are often the recipients of items that no one else wants. Sometimes, these items are given in hopes of getting a tax receipt, but more often, things are donated to a church that the owner simply doesn't want and no one else wants either. Sometimes furniture is left by or in our dumpster just because it is a cheaper alternative to disposing of the furniture at the local landfill or eco-center. Churches all across the nation have become the dumping grounds for everything that our society no longer wants.

Maybe none of this is new, and that has always been the temptation of living in this world. Take, for example, the fellowship offering. It was not a commanded offering. The worshipper didn't have to bring the offering at a particular time of year or in response to specific events. Instead, it was an offering brought to the Temple because the worshipper wanted to bring it. It is an offering designed to be brought out of the overflowing joy of our hearts and lives.

But just because the fellowship offering was voluntary does not mean that we can give the worst of what we possess. Animals born with conditions that made them less valuable were not to be brought to the Temple. The Temple was not the place to get rid of all of the things you didn't want. It was not to be a replacement for the local dump. Every animal brought to the Temple had to be without defect and the best that the person had to offer.

Churches should still be the places where we bring our best. Yes, we are volunteering our time and efforts. No one is forcing us to give what it is that we donate. But the recipient of everything that we bring is the God who has given us everything we have. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17). He voluntarily has given us everything good in our lives, so why would we bring him anything less.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 4

The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the LORD. – Leviticus 2:3

Today's Scripture Reading (October 30, 2021): Leviticus 2

American Novelist Alice Walker comments that "'Thank you' is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding." Thank you are words that, along with a sincere apology, help us make our way through life. None of us can make it through this life without the help of, and relationships with, others, even though sometimes we appear to believe the opposite. Life is a team sport, and we need each other if we are going to win. That means that people will constantly be doing things, even small things, for which they deserve our thanks, and we will continuously be doing something for which we need to apologize. A sincere "thank you" encourages those who have chosen to journey with us and, as Walker asserts, expresses gratitude for the things that have been done, the humility to admit that we need each other on this trip, and an understanding about where we are on the journey. Even for things for which we are not responsible, apologies remind us that there are moments on this journey for which we should mourn. And both are necessary if the ride is to continue.

There was a series of sacrifices and offerings that Israel was commanded to bring to their God. And one of those offerings was the grain offering. But the grain offering was unique. A portion of the grain offering was burned, and it was believed that the smoke of the sacrifice rose up to heaven where it was received by God, an image that also described how God welcomes our prayers.

But another portion of the grain offering was given to the priests. Because they were God's representatives on earth, they were to receive part of the grain offering for their needs "Because the priests represent God, they have a right to those sacrifices offered to God. The grain offering apparently provided the main source of income for the priesthood" (Mark F. Roker).

Pastor David Guzik instructs that "the emphasis of the grain offering was gratitude. That it was called most holy of the offerings shows the high regard God has of our thankfulness." The grain offering rose up to God as an offering of thankfulness and was extended to the priests who journeyed with the people as an expression of gratitude. And because of that thankfulness, the journey was able to continue.

Paul extends the same promise that was brought by the grain offering to us when he writes, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11). Thanksgiving still flows from all of our actions of generosity; it is a prayer that we offer to God and each other, and, in the process, our journeys get to continue.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 3

You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. – Leviticus 1:4

Today's Scripture Reading (October 29, 2021): Leviticus 1

A study has been conducted that reveals that spending money is actually a painful experience. In the study, people were monitored as they made various purchases. The study found that when we lay cold, hard cash on the counter, what registers in our brain is something very similar to when we experience pain. And the higher the cost and the more money that we have to lay down to make the purchase, the greater the pain we feel.

But the study also examined what happens when we use other methods of purchasing things. For instance, when we pay for something using a credit card, one that requires that we sign something, the experience still registers as pain, but the pain is of a lower intensity than when we use cash. If we pay using a card that requires us to input a code to finalize the purchase, the amount of pain involved in making the purchase is still lower. And if we use the tap option for making a purchase, the pain barely registers on our brain.

Recent technological developments make it possible to purchase items with even less contact with our brains. Merchants are currently experimenting with a procedure that would allow you to sign up with a credit card and a picture of yourself. Then you could walk into a store, and various cameras would follow your journey. They would note which items you pick up and then charge you when you leave the store for everything you have in your possession. No one would have to tell you how much everything costs; the money would simply be automatically removed from your bank account or added to your credit card bill. And I can't imagine a more painless way of shopping.

But that is also the problem with moving into a cashless society. As long as what we purchase makes us feel pain, we are more careful about the things we buy. If we don't even have to have our purchases totaled by a cashier, it seems that debt would become an even bigger problem than it already is. There is a reason why budgeting systems often argue that we need to use cash more often. Because if we use cash, we spend less.

In the sacrificial system of the Tanakh, it would have been easy for worshippers to distance themselves from the sacrifice, except that the law mandated that the worshipper identifies with the sacrifice. It was not enough that the animal died; the one receiving the atonement had to place their hands on the sacrifice, recognizing that the animal's death was due to the person's sin. "By means of this gesture the person offering the sacrifice identifies himself as the one who is offering the animal, and in a sense he offers himself to God through the sacrificial animal" (Rene Peter-Contesse and John Ellington). It brought the pain created by the sacrifice for the one who offered it to its highest level, in the hope that this moment of sacrifice would become a moment of sincere reflection about the sins that had brought the worshipper to this moment in time.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 2

He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. - Psalm 91:4

Today's Scripture Reading (October 28, 2021): Psalm 91  

I have had a lot of friends in life, but only a few of them have stayed beside me when I was in trouble. The pattern of my life, and I can only speak of my experiences, has been that I have many friends when things are going well, but very few want to be near me when things turn sour. And maybe nothing hurts more than being in trouble and watching people walk out of my life at the same time.

Years ago, I remember meeting in a restaurant with someone I considered to be one of my best friends. It was a season when I was beleaguered, and, admittedly, I was also the reason for my trouble. But it was at that moment that my friend decided to inform me that he was taking a break from our friendship. It was a painful moment in my life. We ate together, and then I watched him walk out the door. It is the last image I have of my friend; Decades have passed, and I haven't seen or heard from him since.

We all have similar stories. We all go through seasons of trouble, and we have watched friends walk away from us during those seasons of our lives. I have some friends who walked away from me when I was in trouble but then returned to renew the friendship once that season had passed. But something had permanently changed, and those friendships never seemed to be the same.

Psalm 91 has no title and, therefore, we are not entirely sure who wrote it. Some believe that it is a continuation of Psalm 90, which Moses wrote, while others feel that it was written by David. Others wonder if Psalm 91 might be an early version of the thoughts that Moses later wrote down in Psalm 90. We are choosing the latter option, that Moses wrote Psalm 91 before the Prophet wrote Psalm 90.

But, regardless of who wrote it, the intent of the author is evident. The author of the Psalm is committing himself to the relationship he has with his God. When his God calls, he will answer. And even when the situation is dire, and trouble seems to be all around him, he will still maintain his relationship with God. When everything is going wrong, Moses will still trust that God is walking with him and knows what is best. Even in the face of trouble, he will give honor to the God who has befriended him.

Of course, the reverse is also true. Even in times of trouble, often of our own making, God stays with us. It is the promise that Jesus left with his disciples and one that God's church has depended on throughout the generations. "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 1

Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. – Exodus 40:35

Today's Scripture Reading (October 27, 2021): Exodus 40  

I have always been intrigued by the stories of the Tabernacle and the two Temples, both impressed by the similarities, but also noticing the differences. I am convinced that only one of them was actually commanded by God to be built, and that was the tabernacle. God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle according to his design, and “Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him” (Exodus 40:16). However, Solomon’s temple was built because of the desire of one man, David, who dreamed of the Temple, and sweat of his son, Solomon. The building of the first Temple was actually part of the reason why Israel divided after the reign of Solomon. But God accepted the temple and blessed it. The second Temple, also known as Zerubbabel’s Temple, was built because of the desire of a nation. And Zerubbabel’s temple doesn’t appear to ever have been accepted by the God it was built to honor, at least not at first.

Proof of the acceptance of the Tabernacle is found in this verse. The glory of God settled on the Tabernacle so that even Moses could not enter into the tent. The presence of God indicated that the Tabernacle of which Moses had overseen construction was accepted by the God who created the world. The same thing happened when Solomon finished the first Temple. ^“When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple” (1 Kings 8:10-11).

But that didn’t happen with the second Temple. There is no mention of the glory of God filling Zerubbabel’s Temple so that the priests could not enter into the building. Instead, “many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid” (Ezra 3:12). It seems that the second Temple was nothing more than a building.

But God’s glory did fall on the second Temple much later. It was a righteous and devout man named Simeon who watched the glory of God fall on the Temple as Jesus was brought for the time of purification rites as were required by the Law of Moses. And as Simeon held the child in his arms he declared;

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss^[d] your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

The glory God had finally fallen on the Second Temple, as it had on the first, and on the Tabernacle so many years before. But this time, it was because God in the form of Jesus had entered into the Temple.

 Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 91

And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. – Exodus 39:25

Today's Scripture Reading (October 26, 2021): Exodus 39

In days past, the lighthouse was an integral part of maritime travel. These towers with a light on the top were used for navigation and as a warning system for ships that the water around the lighthouse was dangerous and that ships should steer clear of the area. Usually, a lighthouse was manned, and the lighthouse keeper had two main roles; one was to maintain the light, and the other task was to be part of a rescue team if one was ever needed in the coastal area that surrounded the light house. As time passed, the need for maintenance started to be performed by people who did not live at the lighthouse, but the light house keeper remained as the primary rescue worker. Gradually, that also began to be phased out. There were better ways to rescue those perishing in the water than by a lighthouse keeper. Eventually, lighthouse started to become empty building. The light still shone, but no one was home. Some places have begun to reverse that trend in favor, once again, of the staffed light houses. Canada has fifty such lighthouses, with twenty-seven of them on the west coast or the Pacific side of the nation.

But sometimes, as the fog rolled in, the light was no longer available to be seen. In such cases, a foghorn was often used to indicate danger. Or sometimes, a small cannon was fired at certain intervals to alert the ships in the area. The light might not be able to be seen, but the sound could be heard, and ships understood that they were being warned away.

Aaron was to wear bells of gold on the hem of his robe. A fuller explanation is given in Exodus.

Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die (Exodus 28:33-35).

The bells were intended to be a warning. Rev. John Schulz, a missionary and Bible teacher, wrties this:

The sound of the bells helped to remind him, and everybody else who heard it, that the God they were approaching was a consuming fire. The Israelites were not dealing with an idol which was the product of human industry and ingenuity, but with the Creator of heaven and earth by whose will we all have been created and have our being (John Schultz, Commentary on Exodus 39).

The small bells worn on the hem of priest’s robe was intended to be a foghorn, or a small cannon, reminding those that heard it that they were entering into the presence of a powerful God, and everyone in his presence should be very careful.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Exodus 40

They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. – Exodus 38:8

Today's Scripture Reading (October 25, 2021): Exodus 38

I grew up hearing about the "me generation." It was described as the generation that was so self-absorbed that it couldn't see beyond its own needs. It was a selfish generation. I have heard of this generation several times since, to the point where I am unsure of the generation about which we are speaking. Over the years, I have noticed that every generation seems to have the same complaint about the generation that follows them. Whoever the speaker is, it always seems to be another generation that is the "me generation." It is never us.

But there is another truth. The good news is that some individuals from every generation always go beyond expectations to get the job done. Regardless of the generation of which you might find yourself a part, there have always been those that would sacrifice everything to achieve a purpose that is beyond them, even in the supposed "me generation."

There appears to have been a tradition at the Tabernacle for a group of women who believed that they were called to support the priests in the fulfillment of their duty. And some of those women not only gave up their time to support the priests, but they also gave up what was likely one of their most prized possessions, their mirrors. Mirrors of the day were made of highly polished bronze. With all of the uses and needs for bronze, these mirrors were rare and not easily replaced. But the cost and the impossibility of finding a replacement were not an issue for these women. Someone else's need moved them.

If all we ever think about is ourselves, this world won't be here very long. Life can't be about me; it has to be about us. We will never reach our full potential, the unlimited possibility of me, unless we learn to reach out beyond ourselves. We need to be willing to donate what is precious to us to get beyond where we are today. To reach my potential, I must be other-focused.

Several people in my life have "donated their mirrors" to make this world a better place. And my world is a better place because of their sacrifice. Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough, but it is what I have to give. Thank you. Know that your sacrifice is making a huge difference.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Exodus 39

And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. – Exodus 37:5

Today's Scripture Reading (October 24, 2021): Exodus 37

Instructions are a necessary but also often a frustrating part of life. We need them to construct things or to complete specific actions, but too often, we don't understand the instructions that are given to us. And our reaction to instructions that we don't understand is usually to ignore them, especially if we think that we have a better way. But often, we also find that our better way isn't better, and if we had just understood the instructions, or sometimes even read the instructions, there was a reason for what they said and how they instructed us to proceed.

The Bible contains many stories that are hard to understand. One of them is found in 2 Samuel 6. According to the account, King David commands that the Ark of the Covenant be brought to Jerusalem. The ark had been captured by the Philistines decades earlier. They had returned the religious artifact to Israel, but it had never made it all the way back to the Tabernacle, which at this time was in Gibeon.

David's order was unique. The ark should have been placed to the Tabernacle at Gibeon. Instead, David wants the ark brought to Jerusalem. He intended that Jerusalem should become not just the political center for Israel but also a spiritual center. And to begin the process of making Jerusalem "The Holy City," the ark needed to be brought to Jerusalem

So. David sends a team to get the ark and bring it to Jerusalem instead of Gibeon. And part of that team was a soldier named Uzzah. The team placed the ark on a cart pulled by a set of oxen, and the oxen started the journey toward Jerusalem. Along the way, one of the oxen stumbled, the ark shook, and it just about fell off of the cart. It would have fallen off of the cart, except that a hand reached out and steadied it on the cart. That hand belonged to Uzzah.

But Uzzah died as a result of his action. What bothers me most about the death of Uzzah is that it is not that he was irreverent in any way. He acted to protect the ark, and yet he died because of that action. Why? It is a story that is hard to understand.

The cautionary tale of Uzzah brings us back to the idea of instructions. The problem wasn't really with Uzzah. The ark was never intended to be placed on a cart and pulled by oxen. It was designed to be carried by priests with the poles, inserted through the rings on the side of the ark, but that was something that David, and therefore Uzzah, didn't understand. If they had, and if the priests had been sent to pick up the Ark as God intended, Uzzah wouldn't have died. The instructions were available, but no one bothered to consult them. And as a result, a good man died.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Exodus 38