Sin

I am really surprised at what God is teaching me in the book of Leviticus.  I didn't expect getting so much out of it while reading a book filled with laws and do's and dont's.  Kind of crazy.

Before I start though, I was again excited to wake up at 5:30 to meet Tiffany for a run on the Waterway.  It is really sticky and nasty outside during summer, but it makes me feel so good to know that I got up and worked out.  Then came home to breakfast already made by my dear husband.  Then I spent another hour and half on the balcony spending time with the Lord.  Very relaxing morning filled with the awe and wonder of our Creator.

I need to give some background info on what has happened so that you understand the significance of this passage.  God has spoken and told Moses exactly how to make the altar, what offerings to bring for all these specific sins, and how the priests are to be ordained along with the laws they need to abide by.  It takes till chapter 9 for the priests to even begin their ministry!  Once the priests are finished with their ordination process (slaughtering the lamb and offering their sacrifice, etc...) they are ready to begin God's work.  We will pick it up in verse 10.

Leviticus 10: 1-3 "Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them, and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.  So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.  Moses then said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.' Aaron remained silent.

Moses had just finished telling Aaron and his sons all the things they can and cannot do and giving them the rules of how everything should work.  And, on top of that, they had just been ordained into the priesthood.  Again, scholars are not exactly sure what happened here.  Some believe that they brought unauthorized (unclean) coals to the fire and offered their sacrifice and some believe that they sacrificed at an unauthorized time.  Whatever explanation is correct, the point is that Nadab and Abihu abused their office as priests in a flagrant act of disrespect to God, who had just reviewed with them PRECISELY how they were to conduct worship.  As leaders, they had a special responsibility to obey God.  They also were careless about following God's laws for sacrifices.  Performing these sacrifices was an act of obedience and doing them correctly showed respect for God.  Since they took matters into their own hands God brought killed them.

It seems like a harsh punishment, doesn't it?  Yet, how often do we disobey God or take matters into our own hands.  This hit be as being a leader of students.  A teacher.  I believe this is my God given talent and there are times that I think I can do it on my own.  That I go into the workday without giving God my teaching or ask Him to lead my day.  As leaders, that should be the first thing we should do!  Ask God to give us His hands and His feet to do His work wherever we are!

Father, help me to be more in tune with You and what You want.  When I begin my next school year at Legacy, I pray that it's filled with You first and that I am just a vessel.  Father teach me to be obedient to Your ways!