One Year Bible stuff

While reading the OYB, today's reading created some good connections between 1st and New testament readings for me.  Looking into the legal description of sacrifices and how they should be offered, God was clear to add that "You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Lev. 2:13).  This created such a great connection for me to Jesus' proclamation that "you are the salt of the earth."  Jesus definitely knew what He was talking about when choosing His words.  He really knew His audience.  We could probably learn a thing or two before opening our mouths... and spouting off.  I know I could.  I am fascinated by God's inclusion of salt to the grain offerings.  The seasoning to the offering was required.  There is an extravagance that is reserved for our offering to God shown in our lives.  We often mistake the extravagance of our LIFESTYLE with the extravagance of our worship to God.  Those aren't the same things.  Would I give to God what I give to my wife, my kids, my friends, my co-workers, on and on and on?  Hopefully not.  Many of us have probably been made aware of the multi-purposes of salt throughout the ages (seasoning, preservation, etc.)  Whatever the purpose of adding salt to the offering was, God desires an offering that is not ordinary or mundane.  How much more should our lives have the effect of 'salt of the earth.'  There is a quality to the Christian that is likened to a seasoning, a flavor, an extravagant offering of giving ourselves to God and others.

I also liked the verse that says, "All fat is the Lord's."  Has a good ring to it.

Moving on...

Psalm 35:18

"I will thank you in the great congregation;
   in the mighty throng I will praise you."

This verse reminds me of my childhood, believe it or not.  Growing up in church, I remember that at pretty much every church service people were standing up and talking about God and their own life.  It was 'giving a testimony' in the simplest form.  People would go up to the front, grab a mic, and say where they were coming from, how Jesus changed them, and where they were heading.  I really, really miss this from church.  To me, hearing the effects of Jesus on someone's personal life and seeing the real change in them gives such credence to the Bible and the God in the Bible.  King David, in this Psalm, talks about the 'congregation' and the 'mighty throng.'  It wasn't at his small group or on the phone with someone (duh)... this happened in front of tons of people.  He would put his own reputation on the line--publically--to talk about His God and how He is the rescuer from the junk and evil in this world.

Wow, it seems that these two sections of the Word talk about how we display the good things that God has done in us.  We offer an extravagant offering of worship and tell EVERYONE about it.

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