QT 10 May 10

Lev 1:3 (NIV) … offer a male without defect. ...

Lev 2:1 (NIV) … offering is to be of fine flour. ...

Lev 2:13 (NIV) Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

NOTE: All the offerings are to be quality offerings. Of course this is for the law and so we must be careful in our application. But I think here is a case where the principle would apply in the NT, our offerings to God must be first class. Jesus set the example, "he did all things well." He calls us "to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Our ministry should be characterized by first class effort. The phrase "it is good enough for government work" should be anathema in the church, and in the life of any believer. "Whatever you do, do it as if serving the Lord."

Also, God gets rid of the yeast, but adds salt. The yeast symbolizes sin in the OT and NT. The salt symbolizes preservation and things that bring life. Our ministry needs to excise sin, and bring in those things which give life.

Father help me to think through how I live in these two areas. Do I do my best? Have I let sin into my ministry, or do I provide life and preservation for those involved?