A Work in Progress….

Leviticus 11:39 “ ‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. 

These rules in Leviticus put me in mind of the first days of a new school year, establishing rules so that 25-30 students can function well together with one teacher and limited time and resources. Especially in the beginning, you have to come across as a bit strict to be sure that everyone understands the importance of following the rules so that the group can function well. 

Leviticus 11:40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

I wonder if these rules in Leviticus which bring me such anxiety because it feels like Moses is saying, “If you step out of line at all, God’s going to be done with you” (which, to be fair, is not exactly what he’s saying) are similar to the beginning of a new school year–”Yes, it’s a lot of rules, but if we are all to get along as needed, we all need to be on board and do our best.” I think it’s possible.

Leviticus 11:41-42 “ ‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. 

Precious Savior, You know that I have been struggling with all the rules in Leviticus. Thank You this morning for allowing me to see these rules in a different light, in a way that I can better understand the potential rationale. Thank You for meeting me here and drawing me closer. Amen.

Leviticus 11:43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:35 Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean.

Again today, when I pay attention to what is going on within my body as I read this scripture, there is A LOT of anxiety and stress. There are a lot of rules, which means there are many, many, many opportunities to mess up.

Leviticus 11:36 A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. 

I don’t remember a lot of the religion of my youth, but I do remember feeling like I could not ask questions about the Bible because one did not question God. I think I also remember this hum of anxiety from being afraid that I would break the rules.

Leviticus 11:37 If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. 

Precious Savior, I am beyond grateful that I now know You as a deeply, fiercely, completely loving God. You welcome my questions and fears. You are big enough for my anger and uncertainty. You love me exactly as I am. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:38 But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you. 

Have a blessed day.

Leviticus 11:13-19 “ ‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, a the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.

I have found it really telling with this read through the Bible to pay attention to what is going on in my body as I read scripture. Today’s section has me anxious and filled with stress. 

Leviticus 11:20-23 “ ‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you. There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

As best I can tell, the anxiety comes from all the rules and the threat of what happens if they are broken: “You will make yourselves unclean….” (v24), meaning there will be distance between me and God. Not good. 

Leviticus 11:24 “ ‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the awareness of what is happening within me as I read Your word. Thank You that I can sometimes unpack and understand those reactions. When I can’t, help me to make some kind of peace and draw closer to You regardless. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:9 “ ‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 

Sometimes I feel like we have lost sight of the bigger picture, the “Love God, Love others” picture, the “Jesus died for our sins” picture. Loving God is not about being perfect. A side effect of our human condition is that perfection is not even an option. And yet, God loves us unconditionally and eternally anyway.

Leviticus 11:10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean. 

That’s not to say there should be no rules or guidelines. They are necessary. Only, when we get so tangled up in following the rules that we are no longer following Jesus, we have a serious problem. When we get so incensed about a dietary gaff that we no longer care where our heart is, we have lost our way.

Leviticus 11:11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. 

Precious Savior, You know we are not perfect. Thank You that You sent Your Son to die for our sins because You knew we could never balance those scales ourselves. Help us to remember that You call us to love You and love others, to be Your hands and feet and heart in this world, to love everyone and let You sort them out later, to love and not to judge. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:1-3 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

I get that the Israelites were living with the Egyptians for 400 years and have now been led to freedom, that God is showing them–with all these rules and laws–how to live and act as God’s people, that the dietary restrictions serve a similar purpose. I honestly get all of that.

Leviticus 11:4 “ ‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. 

What I’m struggling with is the modern picking and choosing of what in the Bible is “God’s undeniable law to follow” and what is man’s to pick and choose. We don’t worship like the ancient Israelites nor do we observe the dietary restrictions of the ancient Israelites, yet we don’t get to cherry pick the Bible for the parts we want to follow and the parts we want to skip. Except we do exactly that.

Leviticus 11:5-6 The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. 

Precious Savior, I want to live a life that is pleasing to You, to shine Your light, to be Your hands and feet in this world. I want to love You with my whole heart and love others as You love them and me–completely, deeply, fiercely, unreservedly. Help me to use Your word to draw closer to You, not to cherry pick what I want to follow or ignore. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:7-8 And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 10:17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. 

Commentary says of these verses, “Burning hard against sin in a judging manner is easy. To sit down with a brother or sister as a fellow sinner and partake of the sin offering with them means you realize you aren’t any better than them. Only this kind of heart can minister to people.” 

Leviticus 10:18 Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.”

Since God’s been using these verses to remind me that I need to root out my judgy ways, this quote from commentary resonated with me. But it struck me that overcoming the desire to judge isn’t just good for me, it’s good for all. I can’t effectively shine God’s light if I’m also judging others (and smugly thinking of myself as “better than”). Help me, Jesus. 

Leviticus 10:19 Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” 

Precious Savior, Never in a million years would I have thought You would bring me here with these verses in Leviticus, but here we are. Thank You for loving me so much that You are unwilling to leave me in my judgy ways. Soften my heart so that I can more effectively be Your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

Leviticus 10:20 When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Have a blessed day.