Urim and Thummim?

A very unique title for a very unique part of scripture.

My best friend Tiffany asked me to go run with her this morning at 6:00 and I am so very thankful that she did!  I want to be more motivated to work out, but I lack the workout partner that I would want.  My husband is very sweet and kind and is one of the most dedicated people I know in almost all aspects (including working out), but sometimes it is challenging for me to workout with him.  I think it's more of a pride issue for me than anything.  Lord, help me not be so stinking prideful!  With all that I am very thankful for the nice workout this morning (not to mention on her birthday) and that I got to spend a good deal of time in the word when I got home.  As you know, I am in Leviticus and it's slightly boring.  However, this morning I learned something new and I wanted to share it with y'all.

Here is the scripture so that you have some context.  Leviticus 8:5-9 "Moses said to the assembly, 'This is what the Lord has commanded to be done'.  Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.  He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him.  He also tied the ephod to him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breast piece.  Then he placed the turban on Aaron's head and set the gold plate, the sacred diadem, on the front of it, as the Lord commanded Moses."

Scholars are not 100% sure as to what exactly the Urim and Thummim are, but most will agree that they were put into a pouch in the breast piece.  After some research, here is what I  have found.  Some scholars believe that Urim means guilty and Thummim means innocent.  For those coming to bring an offering and needing to know what kind of offering to bring the priest would pull out one of these and be able to tell whether they were guilty or innocent.  Others believe that the Urim was No and Thummim was Yes or that they both had Yes and No on them.  The priest would spill them out from his breast piece and if both said Yes then God's answer was positive, if they both said No then His answer was negative, and if one was Yes and one was No then there was no reply from God.

Whatever the case is with the Urim and Thummim, how many times do we try and play Yes or No with God?  Have you ever invented ways to try and make what we want be what God wants?  It's way easier to try and do what it is we want to do, but it's not always God's way.  I am by no means perfect at this and have definitely not mastered it.  I do think, though, that the longer we sit and listen to God and really dig into listening to Him we will clearly hear Him.  Sometimes it is what we want to hear and other times it isn't.  Either way, we should follow Him because His will is ultimately the best.  And by following His will we glorify God and blesses us.  When we choose to go our own way or do our own thing it usually doesn't go so well.

Lord, help me to follow You in all that You want me to do.  Not to listen to the worldly advice that I tell myself or that I hear from other people, but to really hear from You.  Help me to do whatever it takes to make time to clearly hear from You.  I also pray for motivation for working out this summer.  It sounds like a silly request, but I want to honor you with my body because this body is on a loan from You.  Help me to keep it pure.  Amen.