09-03-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
September 3, 2021
Scripture: Leviticus 1:17
He will then tear the bird open by its wings, without splitting it. The priest will completely burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the altar fire. It is an entirely burned offering, a food gift of soothing smell to the LORD.

Thought for the Day: This is how the section on Burnt Offerings ends in Leviticus 1. The imagery of the rising smoke, and it being a “soothing smell to the LORD” (sometimes translated: a pleasant aroma). This image is rich with meaning. Visually seeing smoke rise was to suggest that whatever was being offered was being received by God. Rarely do we see smoke go down, so in 99.9% of situations, people saw the smoke and felt comforted in God receiving their offering and gratitude. A number of times in my ministry, I have had someone say, “My prayers are not strong enough to make it to heaven.” -or- “My prayers are not deserving of being brought into the presence of God.” Brokenness, spiritual or emotional wounds, can have us believing that whatever we offer or whatever we do will be unacceptable to the Lord. There might even be someone who is telling us that very thing. The Hebrew people had just come from slavery, and they must have been horribly beaten down emotionally and spiritually. A priest simply saying to them, “You are loved unconditionally, and God appreciates your offerings and gratitude,” would have been nice, but it might not have been enough to overcome the negativity of the past. Some times, along with those life-giving words, we need a symbol; we need an image that will stay in our head through the day and night… especially the night. What symbols and images do you have that reinforce your belovedness, your unique place as a child of God?

Prayer: Continue to engage all our senses with your Good News, Lord God. Continue to help us find ways of communicating your limitless love for the world, often finding ways of communicating other than words. Amen.

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