“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Command the people of Israel and say to them, My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time… This is the food offering that you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.'” Numbers 28:1-8
Archaic, irrelevant, unnecessary. Such are our assessments of Old Testament directives and practices in the present day. The sacrifices were time consuming, bloody, and not so pleasant. Yet, Numbers is included in the Holy Scriptures, and is therefore God-breathed, and useful for us. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Lord spoke directly and personally to Moses. He was thorough and specific in His prescribed assignments for the priesthood. He speaks to us personally through His holy word, and all He says we can trust as good and purposeful. Every offering was for Him, for His pleasure, acceptable according to His appointment. It was also for the Israelites, to teach that they were to submit to His supremacy and depend on Him daily. The Lord, through implementing the sacrificial system, pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus which would once for all do away with the need for others. (Hebrews 7:27; 10:9-14)
He also reminded His people that everything belongs to Him. We offer back to Him only what He’s entrusted to us. When we follow His prescription, He comes first in thought and in the day. We awaken contemplating what we’ll give, and how- always the best, for Him, in His time and way. (1 Chronicles 29:11-17)
And our offering is consistent, continual, morning and evening, day after day. Life lived with Jesus is not a sporadic or one time occasion. It is a regular rhythm of offering ourselves for His pleasure and purpose so that He lives through us, from when we rise to closing the curtain on twilight with Him. (Galatians 2:20)
This side of the cross, we are continually to come with a sacrifice of praise to our Rock and Redeemer. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices in daily acts of worship and surrender of will, and regularly to remember Christ’s sacrificial death in the sacrament of communion. Are we so prone, and consistent? What habits and priorities dictate our usage of time, and how can we ensure a daily lifeline of honor, thanksgiving, and praise to God? (Psalm 71:3; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 11:28; 13:15)
Lord, as You gave Your life for me, may I live mine for You, keeping You first and exalted every day.
As the rain and snow 
Pam,
Wow! This was right in line with the thoughts and scripture God was speaking to my heart this morning! What an awesome God we serve.
Elaine
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