Reading
SAA Notes
God set the boundaries of the Promised Land. John in Revelation 21 describes the boundaries of Jerusalem Above. Boundaries remind us that He is our Lord – we respect His will and desire. The Ten Commandments also are boundaries of a different sort. People who accept the boundaries make good neighbours!
SJA Notes
* Mighty God, through the abundance of Your steadfast love we enter Your house, lead us in Your righteousness, make Your way straight before us.
“… From the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few;”
We see here the tithing principle of giving a portion back to the Lord of what He has already given.
The tribes were to give cities to the Levites, the number determined by the size of the land they had (related to the size of the tribe).
We read in God’s word the importance of the first-fruits, the first-born.
In Numbers 3 we read of God’s intent in consecrating, setting apart, the firstborn who opens the womb. We read of the Levites being substituted in for the rest of Israel’s firstborn, and the link to what happened in the rescue out of Egypt.
In Romans 12 we have another layer added onto this understanding,
“I appeal to you therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
We are all in Christ set apart and consecrated. So all that we do is to be first-fruits, given to the Lord.
We are to give back to God from what He has given to us – The best of our work, our time and energy, our worship.
As with Israel so with us – We do not need to give the same as someone else, we do not measure our giving against others in God’s church.
Instead we give our of whatever measure God has given us, with hearts full of generosity.
* Dear Lord God,
Thank You for Your love as Father, Son and Spirit – You have given to us so very much!
Thank You for giving us means to give back to You.
Please help us to wrestle with what we need to give and how we need to give it.
Thank You Lord!
Amen.