Category: Psalm

Leviticus 17:1-2 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded:

Sometimes the Lord calls us to be still so loudly it’s hard to argue. That happened this morning when the power went off at 6am in the middle of my shower. “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).

Leviticus 17:3-4a Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed;

So instead of scurrying around, packing in preparation for leaving our NoLa rental, I sat in the dark with a cup of coffee (thankfully, a half pot brewed before the power went out), talking with sisters, laughing, and just being present.

Leviticus 17:4b they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.

Precious Savior, Thank You for a truly lovely morning, being still, being present, just being. Thank You for a 2-hour power outage that was a huge blessing instead of a massive inconvenience. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 17:5 This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 16:28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.

Commentary posits that the absence of a sacrifice when atoning “detracts from the divine character” of God. The God that I believe in is loving and compassionate, not some Volcano god, demanding a sacrifice to keep from erupting.

Leviticus 16:29 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—

To my way of thinking, that makes Him more holy, not less. I think our broken and contrite hearts are what God wants (Ps 51:17).

Leviticus 16:30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.

Precious Savior, I am the first to admit that there is so much I do not know about you. Help me to understand You better and know You more every day. Amen.

Leviticus 16:31 It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 15:15 The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge.

My first thought when I read today’s scripture was, “No wonder I associated sex, even between husband and wife, as shameful and embarrassing growing up. Commentary even insinuates that God is watching, even the married bed.

Leviticus 15:16 “ ‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening.

I’ll be the first to admit that there’s so much cultural shame and embarrassment tied to sexuality and sexual pleasure that it is rarely discussed, but shame is definitely not the road to healthy sexuality.

Leviticus 15:17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening.

Precious Savior, You created these beautiful bodies of ours, knit them together in our mother’s wombs (Ps 139:13), I know You don’t want us out there showing everything to the world, but I also don’t think You want us to be embarrassed or ashamed. Help us to have a healthy outlook in all areas. Amen.

Leviticus 15:18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 13:50 The priest is to examine the affected area and isolate the article for seven days. 

I just read an email about waiting and listened to an old song about waiting, so I guess it’s no great surprise that what struck me about today’s scripture is the waiting, and the fact that if there is any doubt about what might be going on with a skin condition, the prescription is to wait and check again. 

Leviticus 13:51 On the seventh day he is to examine it, and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean. 

But waiting can be excruciating, especially for those of us who like to know, who like to plan, who like to control. Waiting reminds us that we are not the ones who gets to make those decisions, which can be frustrating, but I don’t think that’s what God wants for us.

Leviticus 13:52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.

Precious Savior, I think You want me to view waiting as a way to strengthen my trust in You, my relationship with You. You have a plan for me that is greater than any plan I can conceive for myself. Help me cling to Psalm 71:14, “As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more,” especially in the waiting. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 13:53-54 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 8:33 Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. 

This morning God has placed Psalm 46:10 (“Be still and know that I am God….”) squarely on my heart. I began the morning by listening to a 10 minute audio clip of a modern parable a friend sent as part of my church devotional. The narrator’s voice had a soft Irish lilt and his cadence was slow and steady. 

Leviticus 8:34 What has been done today was commanded by the Lord to make atonement for you. 

My immediate thought was, “I wonder if I can speed this audio up.” Nope. I could not. But that got me thinking. My default is to go, go, go. I lean into my human DOING instead of my human BEING. And God keeps reminding me to “Be still and know….” Know His goodness, know His peace, know His presence.

Leviticus 8:35 You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for once again reminding me to SLOW DOWN, to breathe, to listen to Your still small voice, reminding me that I do not have to be perfect, that I am enough exactly as I am because I am Your deeply, fiercely, completely loved child EXACTLY as I am in this moment. Help me to treat myself and everyone I meet with Your grace and love. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 8:36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 4:13-14 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting. 

Sometimes I reread the previous day’s reflection and shake my head, wondering what I was thinking. Yesterday’s was one such reflection, when I came across this gem, “…the sin offering was solely and specifically to atone for sin and not for any personal gain.”

Leviticus 4:15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord. 

Being forgiven of our sins is absolutely about personal gain, about gaining the ability to be free from the shackles of yesterday’s  mistakes, about gaining the ability to be forgiven for every single mistake and misstep. What I meant yesterday was that the one bringing the sin offering couldn’t partake of the meat or leather, but the absurdity of the wording just struck me today.

Leviticus 4:16 Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood into the tent of meeting. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the personal gain that comes to me when I come to You with my sin and shame, my mistakes and missteps, asking You, once again, to forgive me, to wash me clean, to “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Ps 51:12). Forgive me and help me to forgive myself. Amen.

Leviticus 4:17 He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it before the Lord seven times in front of the curtain.

Have a blessed day.