The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 3:1,
"If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect."
The fellowship offering, or peace offering was not a commanded offering. Since it was an offering of thankfulness, it would not have been seemly for God to demand or require it.
God never demands our thanksgiving, but I'm quite certain he expects it. We are exhorted to give thanks to the Lord in many places in Scripture, and as believers it is certainly appropriate we do so. The famous refrain from Psalms comes to mind here, "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever." Psalm 136.
As redeemed believers, we certainly have the most to be thankful for. Paul wrote the church in Philippi, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4-6.
In Colossians 1:9-14 we read, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
"If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect."
The fellowship offering, or peace offering was not a commanded offering. Since it was an offering of thankfulness, it would not have been seemly for God to demand or require it.
God never demands our thanksgiving, but I'm quite certain he expects it. We are exhorted to give thanks to the Lord in many places in Scripture, and as believers it is certainly appropriate we do so. The famous refrain from Psalms comes to mind here, "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever." Psalm 136.
As redeemed believers, we certainly have the most to be thankful for. Paul wrote the church in Philippi, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4-6.
In Colossians 1:9-14 we read, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Surely we have so much to be thankful for! The Lord provided the means for his people to express their thanksgiving through fellowship offerings, and, as believers in Jesus Christ, we certainly have both the means and the motivation to do so!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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