Our journey through
the Old Testament continues along with the awesome videos provided from the
team at Bible Project. Some of our Manor
peeps have put the app on their phones to journey alongside us. The great thing about doing this
systematically is that even we as leaders cover passages and subjects that in
all honesty we just haven’t done. So,
recently we were in Leviticus and if there was a book that you might get bogged
down in, that would be one! The most
encouraging thing for me was to read insights from a passage that one of our
attendees wrote. He gave me permission
to share his journaling.
Leviticus 26:6
“peace in the land” God will take
care of all that ails us and holds us in fear and bondage, our addictions, fear
of rejection, failure etc… He will rid the land (us) of all these things. HE will, not us and our own efforts. Our role is to trust and obey and
believe. HE will, no matter, what.
Exodus ends with Moses
unable to enter God’s presence and in Leviticus we see how God graciously
provides a way for people to live in His holy presence. The big question to be answered is how can a
sinful and selfish Israel be reconciled to God? God is holy and we are called to holiness as
well. To be holy means to be set apart,
unique, in life, purity, goodness and justice.
Israel was to do life differently and be set apart as a nation in the
ways that they cared for the poor, in their sexual integrity and in social
justice. When we look at all the ritual
sacrifices, the priestly requirements and the strict laws on purity, it can all
seem overwhelming.
However, the wonderful
reality lies in the Day of Atonement where sin is dealt with. The key idea with
this feast is that sin and its consequences have been removed from us, His
people and allow us to be in God’s presence!
Fast forward to the
New Testament and we read in Colossians 2:13,14
13 You were dead because of your sins and
because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with
Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges
against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
Thanks to the cross of Christ, we have experienced our own Day of Atonement and truly know the freedom of having our sins forgiven!
Have you ever done the
happy dance when you no longer have a monthly payment owing? Man, there is incredible joy to be finished
with payments for a vehicle or even a house!
I’ll never forget the celebration in my home when my parents ‘burned the
mortgage!’ Now take that joy and
multiply it infinitely!! Every day as
believers we can sing and dance knowing the immense joy of having our sins forgiven.
It reminds me of a
song by Delirious!
Oh I
could sing unending songs
Of how
you saved my soul
Well I
could dance a thousand miles
Because
of your great love.
My
heart is bursting Lord
To
tell of all you've done
Of how
you changed my life
And
wiped away the past
I want
to shout it out
From
every roof top sing
For
now I know that God
Is for
me not against me
Everybody's
singing now 'cause we're so happy
Everybody's
dancing now 'cause we're so happy
If
only we could see your face
And
see you smiling over us
And
unseen angels celebrate
For
joy is in this place!
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