March 17th

Ate Deut 12-14. So much in these verses. God's people were instructed to totally destroy the evil in the land - their worship practices, the inhabitants, their livestock - everything. God instructed them to seek the place where God would choose from amoung one of the tribes to put his dwelling - there they were to sacrifice their burnt offerings and observe everything God commanded. These chapters talked alot about eating their tithe in the presence of God. God said that in the promised land He would give them rest from their enemies. God blesses us when we tithe properly. Part of that is taking care of the Levites, aliens, fatherless and the widow.
The verse that stands out the most to me is when God tells them not to offer burnt offerings wherever they choose. A burnt offering was a WHOLE offering - it represented complete devotion and worship to God. It represents Christ's full life and ours as well. This verse encourages me to seek the place where God wants me to use my gifts completely. Not my own choosing but His. I desire to offer myself completely but I need to know how, when and where God desires to use my life as a pleasing sacrifice.

Lord, open my eyes, ears and heart to understand your ways. Help me to see where you would have me sacrifice burnt offerings to you. Lord, I am weak and I quickly turn to worship false gods and my own desires. Create in me a clean heart that is fully and completely worshipping you. You alone are God, you alone give true rest, you alone destroy the enemy that is too strong for me. I choose this day to seek the place you would have me to serve and offer my life as a living sacrifice. To you be the glory!