SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 27
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
To be fully devoted to the Lord. This chapter describes people who want to show their love for the Lord by dedicating something (land, children, livestock, possessions) to the Lord and His service. Such acts of devotion are not to be taken lightly, and once made, they cannot be taken back. They belong to the Lord. The only possibility of getting it back is buying it back (redeeming it), with the added 20% penalty.

What is in mind here is sincere and honest worship. Don’t make heartless, boastful vows to impress others, and not follow through. Don’t try to impress the Lord with great promises (‘if You do this, then I will do that’). If you are making such a vow, do it sincerely, and with every intention of doing it!

Jesus models the ultimate devotion, devoting Himself to God. In this ultimate act of devotion, He gives Himself completely to God for the sake of the lost. This act of sacrificial devotion pleases God: “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life–only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” [John 10:17-18]

I’ve struggled with the different values assigned to male or females (Leviticus 27:1-8]. Are women less valuable than men? I am guessing that the value is not determined by the ultimate value before God, but by their practical value in that society; men as labourers and bread-winners represented a greater cost when devoted to the Lord. The other passage I’ve struggled with is when someone is “devoted to destruction”, that they must be put to death [Leviticus 27:29, see Judges 11:30-39].

What it comes down to for me, is to count the cost of my own devotion to the Lord, to count the cost of being a Jesus-follower. Do I truly intend to offer my whole self (as I’ve vowed in the past)? Then do it!

PRAYER:
Lord, take my life and let it be, consecrated to Thee. Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine; take my heart, it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.