Wave offering for my Lord

The old testament consists of 613 commandments. Reading through old testament law can feel daunting especially when considering that following those commandments is no longer the route to salvation. (Thanks to Jesus’ death on the cross!) However, I have found a lot of beauty reading about the laws specifically related to sacrifices. There is purpose and prophecy in every sacrifice–the most evident symbol being the spotless lamb that represents the innocent and pure Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, shedding His precious blood for the sins of the world.

While reading about the various sacrifices one in particular stood out to me: the wave offering.

I didn’t understand its significance. I didn’t understand how waving a portion of meat before the Lord could be considered a suitable sacrifice.

Upon further exploration I realized just how meaningful and purposeful it was. I found this definition online: “A wave offering was a portion of a sacrifice presented to God, then released by God for the use of those involved in the sacrifice.”

In Numbers 8:5-25, the Lord tells Moses to gather everyone in the tabernacle and lay hands upon the Levites. Then, Aaron will offer the Levites before the Lord like a wave offering from the children of Israel so that the Levites may perform the work of the Lord.

The Levites went on to perform service in the work of the tabernacle; and after they retired from working, they ministered with and attended to the needs of their brothers. The Levites were the chosen tribe from the children of Israel. They were specifically called, offered to, and then released by the Lord to be used to serve their Israeli brethren (the ones who “sacrificed” them).

Living in the age of grace does not require us to follow old testament law, but I think there is still something special to this concept of offering a wave sacrifice to our Lord.

From now on, as I lift my hands in worship I will think of myself as a wave offering. I will present my best to God as a sacrifice with the expectation that He will release me back to be used in His kingdom.

Cobbler Quality

For the first time in my life, I took my shoes to a cobbler for repair. (Just one of the many adult things I’m doing nowadays, like flossing.) I asked to him to fix the heels, but when I got them back he had done that and more! They were cleaned and shined, just like new.

I was happy to be reunited with my old shoes. I’ve walked a lot of cool places in them! After close inspection, I could see still some of the faint marks from the potholes of Cleveland, the steam grates of NYC, the cobblestones of Siena, etc. Those scuffs represent memories from some pretty special places and events, and I would much rather have those scuffs than trade them in for something newer.

A common mindset is “out with the old, in with the new,” but I believe we should wisely invest in the new so that we can cherish it when it’s old.

There’s something special about investing in quality. From our shoes to the people with which we surround ourselves, we should desire everything in our life to be “cobbler quality,” or worth fixing. To invest in quality shoes/cars/houses usually requires a hefty financial commitment. Investing in a quality relationship also requires a hefty commitment, but in the form of love, respect, humility, patience, forgiveness, perseverance, etc.

Relationships grow stronger after each “repair.” The damage may seem irreparable, but for those who have restored damaged relationships, they will attest that working through the hard stuff made the relationship stronger than it was before.

Investing in quality doesn’t guarantee a lack of scuffs and scrapes, but it does guarantee that you have something worth repairing.

Scars

I recently began working with a new co-worker whom I found difficult to love. This person annoyed and frustrated me. I was grumpy, irritated and dreaded the thought of going to work.

I had heard that she was in a pretty serious accident a while back. It was a sad story. And yet, after knowing a part of her story, I lacked compassion and couldn’t get rid of my attitude. I prayed for my heart to change.

A few days later, as the cuff of her shirt sleeve slid past her wrist, I saw burn scars that wrapped around her arm.

As soon as I saw the scars my heart changed. Hearing about the accident wasn’t the same as seeing evidence left behind from it.

She is no longer annoying or frustrating, she is a survivor. She is a woman who overcame serious emotional and physical trauma yet manages to live life with a spirit of joy and perseverance.

Talking about scars reminded me of a conversation Jesus had after his resurrection. Thomas doubted that Jesus appeared to the disciples. Thomas said, “Unless I see the holes in his hands and put my hand through his side, I will not believe that was actually Jesus.” (My paraphrase. Get the real thing by reading John 20:25.) Once Thomas saw for himself that Jesus was alive, Jesus said, “Thomas, you believed because you saw me, but blessed are those who have NOT seen, yet believe.” (Again, a paraphrase of John 20:29.)

I found compassion for my co-worker, but it took seeing her scars. I would like to reach a point of spiritual maturity where I can faithfully love, just because I’m called to love. Until that time of growth comes, my prayer is for God to show me the scars.

Encouragement’s Evil Twin

With every good thing, there is an opposite evil. It’s the basis of any good story. Even if happy endings are predictable and unsatisfying to you, it’s the conflict that makes the outcome worthwhile, may the story end happily or tragically.

As we live day to day, we are part of a story where good and evil are in constant conflict. Our lives are like a swinging pendulum. Christ is our fixed point, our point of suspension, and in an effort to be Christ-like we swing back and forth trying to reach a state of perfection, equilibrium. Christ provided a very clear example of how to live, we have record of it in the Bible, but it is a very hard model to follow. Even when we’re swinging toward something good, we can pass by it and go too far in the opposite direction. But, that is why Christ forgives us when we repent and why we are supposed to forgive one another. True equilibrium won’t be reached for a while yet.

We are supposed to encourage each other, Ephesians tells us that. But is it possible for the good intent to encourage to transform into something evil?

I think so, only because I’ve seen it in myself.

I love knowing that I’ve encouraged someone’s heart or brightened someone’s day, but there are times when I expect to make a bigger impact than what I’m capable of.

My friend Sara says it best in her recent blog, “My actions sometimes get in the way of the healing that comes in God’s perfect timing. He wants to be the one with us in the valleys…And in those moments where there is no one else to lean on, He leads us to new depths of intimacy with Him.” (Read more from Sara at http://sarashoup.theworldrace.org/)

My desire to be the “rock” people need takes away God’s role, and that is a trust issue–I’m not trusting God to do His work.

You may be familiar with the events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. I thought I was, but I noticed something new in Luke chapter 22. The night before Jesus was to be crucified, He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Lord, if it be your will let this cup pass from me.” He was a stone’s throw away from his disciples, and despite being in the presence of friends he was in agony. He didn’t need his friends, he needed God. Earnestly he prayed. And you know what happened? “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” (vs 43) God immediately delivered strength.

I know God uses us to bear each other’s burdens and encourage one another, but in our encouragement we should direct others toward the source of true peace, absolute love and incredible strength. An encouraging word will last as long as the breath you used to make it, but God’s power is never-ending.

Current popular…

Current popular thinking says that our behavior is determined by our environment or our genes, or both. But the Bible gives us the dignity and responsibility missing from that mechanistic view of life. God has invested us with free will—the ability to make real, significant choices. We can choose our responses to the influences on our lives, or we can choose to let them control us.

Sue Bohlin, speaker/writer and webservant for Probe Ministries, a Christian organization that helps people to think biblically.

You have reached your destination

It was my own fault, but I was lost this week without a map, no GPS, no directions back to my apartment, and in a place I haven’t been before. I discovered that when a person’s lost they have two options: move or don’t move. Both have their benefits: When someone is looking for you it is best to not move and wait for them. But when no one is looking for you, it is probably best to keep moving and find your way — I chose option 2.

Today, a friend had me to listen to this song. (I promise this is relevant.)

 

I really like the sound, but I’ve been thinking about the words all night,

“There’s a hole in my soul. I can’t fill it. I can’t fill it. There’s a hole in my soul. Can you fill it? Can you fill it?”

It is such an honest thought; one that people don’t usually admit. But there are many people that feel the same way, and no matter how hard they try, that hole often remains unfilled.

While I was wandering through the city of Groningen trying to find my way back home, I considered the characteristics of someone who was lost. I noticed that I was highly aware of my surroundings. I was looking for something familiar that I might have passed earlier, anything that would comfort my fear of not making it back.

My little excursion helped me understand why unbelieving persons are sometimes referred to as lost. “Lost” people either move toward a faith or they don’t move at all. When people without Christ are searching for something to believe in (moving), they are highly aware of their surroundings. They observe the behaviors of those who claim to have found their way. Often, the people who don’t move at all are just waiting for someone or something to find them. They are waiting for a relationship, or maybe a career, to lead them to their desired destination. And, if that isn’t enough, or if those things don’t come, they might use substances to make the waiting not feel as long or as lonely.

But nothing cures being lost better than asking for directions.

In the Netherlands, the best person to ask for directions is the one that knows exactly where you are headed. The same is true in life. The best person to ask for directions is the One who knows exactly where you are headed.

I don’t feel lost in life. I have before though. I just wish I could give out directions to all the people who are feeling lost. But, what is the most effective way to steer them in the right direction?

If you see someone lost on the street what do you do? Walk up to them and tell them how to get to the place YOU’RE headed? Noooo. That couldn’t be right. That’s YOUR journey, not theirs. You ask them where they are going. And then, depending on how lost they are, you might be able to simply tell them how to get where they’re going… “Oh, you’re real close! Just take this block down, make a left, and there you are.”

But chances are, if they’re super lost, you might just have to take the time and show them. It’s a big responsibility, but just imagine how comforting it would be to hear, “Don’t worry, just follow me.”