Freedom

As I was reading this morning in Leviticus … all the rules God laid out for atonement … I realized that someone had done all these things or God wouldn’t have laid out a plan for redeeming His people from them. Ugh! Some of these things they are atoning for are pretty yucky and quite frankly, really, would someone do them? Apparently so or the Lord wouldn’t have addressed them. No wonder the Israelites got discouraged ... and I am confident there had to be a lot of people with photographic memories there or they would’ve surely been doomed. And, if they had photographic memories, how is it they forgot God’s incredible miracles and grace and tenderness and mercy? Clearly, this is another reason why the Lord commanded the people to meditate on His word and His miracles and rehearse it daily, all the time … when we wake up, walk, eat, lay down, everywhere … to remember His love for them. See, those things in the Bible are not there to take away our fun, but to keep us safe, in His favor and free from those things that would bind us. What a mighty God we serve! And, thank you Lord, for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we wouldn’t have to worry about remembering all the “rules,” but be able to focus on relationship … “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and love your neighbor as yourself!” (Luke 10:27) Pretty simple, but it requires God’s grace to do it … submission, obedience, listening, making different choices and resting in Him. Lord, fill me with your Spirit that I might be who You are calling me to be and do what You are calling me to do and be a light to your people, starting with my family first. Amen.