A Gift for God?

(written by Vickie)

The Word for today: Ezekiel 45-46

Mark this verse: "This is the special gift you are to offer: a sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat and a sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley." (45:13)

"Offerings and Holy Days" is the heading in my New International Version Bible for verses 45:13 though 46:24 of Ezekiel. God gives detailed instructions for the many specific offerings to be performed at the temple and for the keeping of feast days. Why? Because it all matters. God wants His people to get it right. It's all about Jesus, His finished work, God's Glory. Every ephah, homer, bath and cor are part of God's picture of the redemption in His Son.

Something else is going on here too. God is inviting His people be part of His presentation of Jesus Christ's redemption, to the world. God is laying out the way for His children to please Him.

Over my 29 years as a mom I can recall a couple of stellar Mother's Days. One of these was in 2007. In the beginning of May, my son, Bryan, asked me what gift I wanted for Mother's Day. Feigning indignant about how my request for an iPod for Christmas was discarded because of my technology impairment, I insisted that for Mother's Day the gift be an iPod or nothing at all!
Imagine my surprise on Mother's Day when I found that my children had taken my silly request seriously!
What a great gift it turned out to be! I still use my 1G Nano to listen to praise music and podcasts! My children accidentally found a way to please me, to bless me.

It's hard to please some people. We almost have to be mind-readers to discover the best birthday gift or surprise for some of the people we love.

Redeemed people don't have to guess about how to please God. He instructs us in the whats and hows of His pleasure.

I Samuel 15:22: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Obedience is better than sacrifice."

Colosians 1:10: " And we pray this [see previous verse] in order 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."

Hebrews 11:6: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

God has given us everything we need to please Him. Our lives of obedience and faith please Him. Romans 12 :1 -- "... I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship."

The best gift you can bring God, is yourself, everyday.

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