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Wholly Dedicated

by Skip Heitzig |
I'd bet that Leviticus probably isn't in your top five favorite books of the Bible, is it? It's packed full of regulations and messy, bloody rituals. But even though the practices of this book no longer have any bearing on us under the new covenant, its principles are still applicable. Today I want to look at part of the ordination service of Aaron and his sons, the first priests of Israel. I think we can learn a lot from it about how to live as God's people--especially since we're part of His priesthood (see 1 Peter 2:9-10).

In Leviticus 8:22-23, we read, "And [Moses] brought the second ram, the ram of consecration. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and Moses killed it. Also he took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot," then doing the same with Aaron's sons (see v. 24).

Pretty strange, right? Well, the symbolism runs much deeper than that: the right side of a person was considered their dominant or best side. So in singling out the right ear, the right thumb, and the right foot, Aaron and his sons were essentially saying, "We're consecrating ourselves to hear God's word, do God's work, and walk in God's ways." The equivalent of this principle in the New Testament is found in Romans 12:1: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

Have you ever thought of the potential of a single human body dedicated wholly to the purpose and glory of God? Scripture is filled with stories of the Lord using different members of people's bodies. Take Moses' mouth, for example. He said, "My mouth is my least attractive asset; I stutter!" while God said, "I will use it. I will empower you to speak words before Pharaoh and speak forth My love to Israel." Moses' mouth by itself was not impressive, but that same mouth dedicated and surrendered to God was very impressive.

What about David's hands? Give a sling to that kid and he was a dead-on marksman for Goliath's forehead. And then there are Paul's feet. Over three missionary journeys, Paul brought the gospel from Jerusalem all the way to Rome. As Isaiah wrote, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news" (Isaiah 52:7).

Now think of your life being the base of operations for God. The Bible says that you're the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). Think of what God could do through you if you woke up tomorrow and said, "Lord, here's my mouth, here are my feet, here are my hands--go for it. I want to see You use them."

As with Aaron and his sons, God does want to use you in this way. He doesn't just use preachers or people He calls into official ministry. If you are part of the priesthood of believers, you are in the ministry! Find out specifically what He has put before you to do, then use your body for His glory.

You need to understand what a privilege this is. God doesn't have to use us to get the job done. In fact, He would be better off if He didn't use us. So why does He? He likes to use the foolish things of this world (see 1 Corinthians 1:27) so that people see His work and say, "What a powerful, good God we serve!"

I encourage you to consecrate your whole self to the Lord today, letting Him use your mouth, your hands, and your feet like He did with Paul, David, Moses, and Aaron and his sons. What an incredible thing that He is pleased to choose such weak instruments for His glory!

In His strong love,

Skip Heitzig

The Daily God Book: Through the Bible in 365 Days

The Daily God Book: Through the Bible in 365 DaysThe Daily God Book: Through the Bible in 365 Days is an innovative devotional by Skip Heitzig. In it, you'll find unique insights on key stories and chapters throughout the Bible, along with points to consider as you read.

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