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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Monday, 10 March 2025:
Leviticus 22:2 — I am the Lord
Nine time in this chapter (and 184 times in the Old Testament), while God is giving His people very specific commands which are hard, if not impossible, to completely understanding, God reminds them, “I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 22:2, 3, 8, 9, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33) Said another way, “Do it because I told you to. I am God that is all you should need as incentive to obey.”
So often, we struggle with the “why,” but why? In part because we don’t want to do it and in part because we lack trust. Sometimes we ask why to gain clarity of understanding to obey better, but if we are honest with ourselves, we usually ask why because we are looking to avoid too much effort or inconvenience – we would prefer to do things our way, an easier way.
Today’s commands specifically prohibited careless, unclean, self-centered approaches to God and worship. We like to approach God on our terms, but today’s verses remind us that not all offerings to the Lord are acceptable. God had to give specific instructions for worship to the Israelites because He knew they would be tempted to approach Him unclean and offer the lesser things to Him, saving the better, more valuable things for themselves.
We are in danger of doing the same thing with our lives. We can be tempted to work hard for ourselves and hardly at all for God, all the while convincing ourselves we are living lives of worship. We can be tempted to speak ill will to those around us and then on Sunday bring unclean lips before the Lord to sing songs of praise before Him. We can complacently entertain ourselves throughout the day with television shows and social media videos, images, and messages full of abominations and then turn to the Lord in prayer as if we had done nothing to deafen our ears to His voice. We can build nest eggs for ourselves while ignoring the immediate needs of those around us, while verbally wishing them well, and convince ourselves our empty words are displays of the love of Christ; and we can diligently study our Bibles while not doing what is says and convince ourselves that our intellectual ascent is the same character growth. Today, we needed to be reminded, at least 9 times that God is the Lord! The only acceptable sacrifice we can bring to the Lord is our everything – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
- Psalm 51:16-17 — For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
- Hosea 6:6 — For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Matthew 5:23-24 – So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
- Colossians 3:23-24 — Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 — So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 10 March 2025: Today, treat God as God by diligently pursuing holiness and obedience with love, joy, and peace.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 