Day 59
Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
Without Defect or Blemish
We are already two months into this project of trying to read the Bible in a year. How is it going so far? Are you finding the readings too much, or is it exciting to know that you are “eating this elephant one bite at a time”?
The Lord asked Moses to speak to Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites, giving them the instructions for offering a sacrificial gift to the Lord. The only stipulation God gives to these gifts is that they be “without defect or blemish.” They should be free from any malformation, and then they will be considered acceptable. In other words, they should be perfect – therein lies their worth. If the animal sacrificed is maimed or injured in anyway, it has less value.
As I read through today’s lessons, it occurred to me that possibly you might think of this reading time as a gift to the Lord – a desire to draw closer to Him through His Word. Bringing to our Lord the gift of our time in reading the Bible means that we are not scanning the readings hastily or lightly but are taking time to focus in on what He might be speaking to us. This may mean reading the same passage a couple of times to really “get it.” Or it might mean bringing it up in a Bible Study class for further discussion.
Jesus offered Himself on the cross as the Perfect Lamb, without spot or blemish, on our behalf. Can we not offer ourselves as best we can? Keep on reading; He loves you so much!
The Rev. Phyllis Bartle