Saturday, February 8, 2014

Leviticus 22 - Don't Come as You Are

Casual worship. It almost seems as those two words should not go together. In Leviticus 22 God continues His instructions for holiness. His priests and his people are not to come to offer sacrifices if they are deemed unclean. Worshipping God is not done in a casual way. God demands respect for He is holy.   Today's marketing to entice more people to church reflects our culture, but not God's standard for holiness. 

God says in this chapter priests are to keep my requirements so they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. (Lev 22:9).   God treats our conduct seriously. Yes, God offers forgiveness of sins but he looks for his people to make holiness their pursuit. To offer God less than our best desecrates his name and demonstrates our low esteem of him. 

This chapter goes on to outline acceptable sacrifice. God sees a lowering of the holy standard as profaning his name. How can we claim to be his people and treat our Lord so? 

I love the very last segment of this chapter, Gid says," I must be acknowledged as holy. I am The Lord who make you holy and brought you out of Egypt to be your God."  Just as God brought his people out of Egypt, He also redeemed us from sin so that we could be His people and He would be our God. God desires fellowship with his people and longs for us to seek to be like Him and to treat Him with the respect He deserves. How could we do any less?

When you worship The Lord this week in personal time or in corporate worship, give Him your whole heart and tell Him how grateful you are to belong to Him. Give Him your utmost respect. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

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