Leviticus 1:1, 14 says, “Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting saying…But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons.“
I know this probably sounds like an unusual verse to stand out to someone when reading, but as I read it, I was reminded that this was considered the poor man’s’ offering. This is the very offering that Mary and Joseph brought to the temple soon after Jesus was born (Luke 2:24)Little did Moses or any Hebrew every reason that the Messiah the awaited one would come in the form of an ordinary looking baby and his earthly family’s first sacrifice would be this very offering.
However, God knew as He uttered these words to Moses.
I wonder if He paused for just a moment as He spoke the words recorded in 1:14 pondering the things that were to come, the price that would be paid, the redemption that would take place, the grace that would be extended.
Yes, the poor man’s sacrifice was to be offered at His Son’s birth, and the greatest sacrifice of all time would be offered at His death.
Oh, the many times I miss what God is doing by not looking in the ordinary day to day activities, always waiting on God to show Himself in something big. God does not hide himself to only to be found in the big moments of our lives. He is in every moment of our lives calling for us to see Him.
How I desire to be more like Simeon in 25, 30-32 of Luke 2.
25 At that time, there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
30 I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Simeon looked at the young ordinary couple bringing the ordinary offering and found the face of God.
It is my prayer that I will look at my ordinary day-to-day routine in a different way and maybe see the face of God looking back.
Tricia says
April 9, 2010 at 8:15 AMThis is beautiful. The ordinary is much more often 🙂 and we’d all see God at work that much more if we open our eyes to His blessings in the day to day.
Such an important reminder!
Kendra says
April 9, 2010 at 9:01 AMBeautiful post. I think that I spend a lot of time wishing for this storybook experience in my family, all the while missing out on the precious opportunities that exist in the ordinary. Thanks for this.