Scripture: Leviticus 9-11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Leviticus 11:45 (NLT)

45 For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Most of these 3 chapters are about how God ordered Moses, Aaron and His people to prepare the temple and themselves so that as they come into His holy place/temple they might come as a prepared people showing respect for the Master of this universe and the One who saved them from many things as they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years. In 10:2 it was sad to note that even in the days of which this scripture is based, people tried to cut corners and do what they thought was right, not what God was so careful in detailing to them, and the consequences led to death. However, it was exciting to note in 9:23 that as God’s commands were carried out, God showed Himself to the people – through a consuming fire from heaven. It really concerns me today how casually we come into God’s house and how little respect we show for His holy place. If we knew that we were going to be in the presence of an earthly ‘king’ or president, we would probably seek professional help to make sure that we dress properly for the occasion and that we follow the right etiquette. Yet, the King of all kings, the master of ourselves and our earth, the Savior of this world, the One who sacrificed Himself for our sin and our benefit, and we show little to no respect for walking into His holy temple. Instead of sacrificing, we reluctantly give of our tithes and offering, we can’t find time to give of ourselves to His service. We are quick to ask and beg of Him, but yet we are too proud to lay ourselves at His feet and truly let go and worship Him. Can someone remind me again why God owes us a blessing under such circumstances? I’m surprised that He hasn’t done something terrible to us like He did to Aaron’s sons when they did their own thing. In the verse I am using here, God reminds us that we are to be holy, just as He is holy. I don’t think this means that we are to be like the world so that they might think we are cool and they will feel comfortable worshipping with us. As the world sees God at work in our midst, they will flock in to worship with us, because they want to see the mighty hand of God, not the proof that we can be just as ‘cool’ as them.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, over in the New Testament You became so angry about what was happening in Your holy temple that You lost Your cool and disrupted the party. This is yet another reminder that You house is to be a place of prayer, a place of worship, a place where You are the focus of our attention and a place where Your Holy Spirit can manifest Himself to us. I’m so afraid that we have come a long ways from where You expect us to be, and therefore tons of reasons why You have refused to move in our midst like You would really like to. Lord, I need to be sure that You are first in my life, and that my heart is prepared and ready to worship You when I enter into Your sanctuary. As a church leader, I need to be sure that ample opportunity is given for Your people to get their hearts right and aligned with You as they come for worship. May I stop spinning the wheels, doing the usual, and following what has become the worldly expectation of church. May I be so prepared in my heart to worship You in Your temple, that everything else will be oblivious to me and may I therefore see Your glory shine all around me. May You resume control of Your temple and Your people who have come to worship You in Your temple.