God’s Standards

“When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock . . . he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.” – Leviticus 1:1-3 NASB

As they approached the task of presenting offerings, it would have been very easy for the Israelites to develop personal interpretations. To imitate others. To develop customs or make assumptions. But, from the beginning God provided clear standards, that there might not be any questions. That His people understood His expectations and standards.

First, offerings needed to be personal. They were to not be borrowed but had to belong to the individual giving the offering. Not everyone had the same resources, but everyone had something. Second, it was to be “without defect.” They might have been tempted to keep the best for themselves but God wanted them to realize that He deserved their best. In serving Him, everything was to be done with excellence.

And offerings were to be presented at the right time and the right place. And the goal wasn’t just to go through the steps mechanically. This wasn’t to be a ritual. The goal was that the offering might make “atonement” for them. The goal was that their sins would be canceled. That they would be covered and forgiven. This could only happen if what they did was “accepted before the LORD.”

These same principles still are important to our spiritual lives. We, too, need to make a personal offering to God, to present our bodies as “a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). We always are to give God our best. “Without defect.”

And we always must seek to serve Him faithfully. To know and obey His Word. As Jesus would say, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Prayer: Father, I offer my time, talent, and treasure to You. I offer myself as a living sacrifice. Help me to please You and serve You with excellence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.