“The offerings you present as special gifts are a pleasing aroma to Me; they are my food.” (Numbers 28:2 NLT)
Our offerings are especially meaningful to God. He describes them as food. I think about my relationship with food and realize that worship is pretty important to our Heavenly Father. David Guzik writes:
“Each day began and ended with this statement of
atonement and expression of devotion to the Lord.”
We don’t offer up lambs or cows any longer, but we are still duty-bound to confess our dependency and gratitude. This expression seems to fuel our God. It keeps Him connected and compassionate toward the people devoted to Him.
So what about us? Do we start and end our days with earnest acknowledgement of our spiritual need and appreciation for God’s above and beyond involvement? What systems do we have in place to moor our lives to His mercy? It seems we have subtracted out Sabbath and sacrifice, what have we added back in? Or are we simply adrift?
It seems like spiritual disciplines have been dismissed in disdain for religion and replaced with excessive reliance on grace. I get it, but what routinely draws us close? What keeps us aware of His sovereignty and forbearance and our overwhelming need of them? Have we traded tradition for apathy? Spiritual lethargy? Even insolence? Have we erased timeworn rhythms that have served generations? Replaced them for an ease of relationship that moves us away from intimacy?
I’m paying attention to the past: to old writings, to weathered paths and creating a sustainable cadence for spiritual growth. I’m realizing that discipline keeps me engaged even when my flesh doesn’t feel like it. I’m learning to make offerings of time and attention at both ends of the day.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16 NIV)
Jesus, son of God and high prince of heaven, sustained these same sort of spiritual rhythms. We note His holy routine over and over in the gosples. If Jesus needed such systems to live set apart in a fallen world, so might we.
“They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening.” (1 Chronicles 23:30 NIV)
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, proclaiming Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night…”
(Psalm 92:2 NIV)
“From the rising of the sun, to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” (Psalm 113:3 NIV)
Lord, we need reminding. Turn our thoughts to You, day after day, night after night. Punctuate our lives with rhythms of thanks and praise, that Your presence would permeate the pages of our story. Let us live consumed with the reality of You. Amen.