a daily sacrifice

Leviticus is God’s commandments to his people on how they are to relate with him and with one another.  Through the ordination of his priests, the sacrificial system, and the laws, God creates a way for his people to consecrate themselves to him and to be a nation completely set apart from the surrounding people groups.  In chapter 26, God explicitly states the consequences for adherence to this covenant and for choosing to disobey.  Door number one leads to total provision and an intimate “walking” with God.  Door number two, which they eventually chose, leads to utter destruction.  Simply put, it was a choice between 1) trusting that God was who he declared himself to be and honors his word, and 2) trusting in their own logic, impulses and desires to conform to their surrounding world and an unbelief in God’s integrity. 

As Christians, we are given the same choice daily.  Do we desire to be wholly consecrated (set apart) to God or do we desire more the things of this life (acceptance from others, possessions, the illusions of stability and comfort)? Paul encouraged the believers in Rome to “present their bodies as living sacrifices to God” and to “not be conformed to this world” (Rom 12.1,2).  The specifics look different for everyone; however, the general concept resounds clearly: Through your actions, motives, relationships, etc, are you displaying a life that’s lived for God alone?  In many ways, this is the most important question that can be asked post-conversion, and it is asked in almost every moment of life.  From its answer flows either abundant life (John 10.10) or another lesson to be learned the hard way.