The Offering that Pleases God
It is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord. (Ex. 29:18)
Ex. 29:18; Ex. 30:6-7; Rom. 12:1; Phil. 4:18b; Heb. 13:15-16; I Pet. 2:5
What Is God Saying?
Moses has been to Mt. Sinai and has received the Law. We come now to that part of the Exodus where, under God's guidance, the children of Israel needed specific legislation and organization to survive the long journey to freedom. They were near Mt. Sinai, as far from the Promised Land as ever. Having been delivered from Egypt's bondage and now enduring conditions that would be, for a long time, difficult at best, they must remain close to Jehovah and obedient to His commands. They must know that God is pleased when there is sincerity and loving devotion. At this time, it is not our intention or need to describe the purpose of the various offerings commanded by God. That subject is rich with meaning to all who see in Christ the fulfillment of prophecies in the Old Testament. These ritual sacrifices no longer bind us, those who have the blessing of the New Covenant.
How Does This Apply To Us?
However, the offering by the fire with its pleasing odor still has relevance. It reminds us that by a life of prayer and service, we offer our whole selves to God. God must have it all. Nothing less than everything is pleasing to Him. It symbolizes a past surrendered so that God might make of us and in us a new Creation. It means, "Here is my present life, which is malleable enough through the fire of fervent love for You, Lord, to make it a tool You can use." The seal of John Calvin has a pictorial representation of what takes place when we come to prayer, bringing an offering by fire with its pleasing odor to the Lord. It is a man's hand holding in the upturned palm a burning heart, an offering by fire to the Lord.
Pray With Me
O God, You are pleased with a heart that burns with hatred for sin and glows with desire for righteousness. Let there be in all the offerings I bring to you a burning hatred for what You hate and fervent love for what You love.
Keep me from just going through empty formalities in worship. Help me to turn from the mere display of religious correctness. May I not fall into the trap of mechanical precision in a well-grooved ritual without feeling or faith.
Help me remember Him who lifts burdens and heals bodies, igniting hope in discouraged hearts. Help me choose costly involvement rather than comfortable detachment. Help me choose fervent faith rather than listless doubt. Help me choose agonizing prayer rather than neglectful preoccupation. Help me choose the risk of failure that comes with loving over the guarantee of nothing that comes with indifference.
So I would make an offering by fire to You, O Lord, even the fire of a believing and grateful heart. I want no part of the insipid life that knows only the duty of an offering and misses the beauty of an offering made by love's fire to the loving God of all.
Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Moving On In The Life Of Prayer
If we want a blessed prayer life, we must never think of coming to God in these quiet moments merely as a ritual or duty. Ritual has its place in historic Christianity and as a unifying factor when we worship together. But prayer, at its best, focuses on the beauty of God's love and not on a believer's duty to go through the proper motions. God finds a heart burning with faith and love far more pleasing. This kind of prayer gives us a blessing and makes us a blessing. If we pray like that, we will see life unfold with meaning ahead of us and all around us.
