Obeying Ancient Instructions

Scripture: When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. ... But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean. Leviticus 12:6,8

Observation: As God continues to address the procedures for cleanliness, he addresses a woman at childbirth. In addition to days when she cannot present herself to the Lord, she is then to redeem both herself and her child with a prescribed offerings. These are consistent with the redemption of children as well. The lamb - the burnt offering - is for general faith, celebration, and redemption before the Lord, while the bird is to purify her from the issues and blood associated with childbirth.

We see about 1,400 years later, Mary presents the 'poor' offering of two pigeons as her redemption of Jesus, who himself is the lamb. She does this consistent with an ancient law, and it is evidence that Mary (and Joseph) remain faithful to God in their total obedience.

Application: The obedience of Mary should be inspiring and informative to me. She knew Jesus was special. She also knew there was something so different about his conception and birth that was yet to be fully understood. Yet she totally obeyed ancient laws about her own purification, and made a sacrifice for the joyous delivery of a son conceived in circumstances she likely did not yet understand.

Mary saw no "exception" to the Levitical instructions, even in this extraordinary circumstance. Therefore, there should never be an exception for me in obeying Jesus. He commands us to love others ... there is not room for exclusion of anyone. He instructs us to love through service ... there is no act of service less than another. In the example of Mary, I am to love and serve others, without exception, because I was instructed to do so 2,000 years ago.

Prayer: Lord, may I obey you today and every day, just as Mary obeyed you. In any situation I find myself, may I know what I should do, and do it. Amen.