When the Lord is Primary

Scripture: When anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, it is to consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it, and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Leviticus 2:1-2

Observation: In the first instructions about the burnt offerings, when it comes to "grain" the offering is to be mixed with oil and frankincense, and then a memorial portion burnt with the rest to be food for priests. The odd part of this is ... frankincense. This is a tree resin primarily used as perfume, and thus it is a natural substance that is edible, but it likely has a very distinctive taste, much like chewing on potpourri or getting a taste of a woman's perfume. Therefore, the likely result of adding this to the offering flour - to be made into the priests' bread - is as follows:

-- It will taste odd to the priests.

-- It will indeed give off a very pleasing aroma when thrown on the alter fire.

Application: As anyone considers how to give to the Lord the 'first and best' of ourselves, here is one interesting example ... when we do something for the Lord, consider the very real and tangible subject of how that thing pleases the Lord first, and make that the priority. Then, any secondary outcome or benefit can still exist, but is a (much) lower priority.

I'm pretty sure the priests would have preferred to not eat bread with perfume in it. However, the purpose of the burnt offering was to produce the "pleasing aroma" that would rise up to the Lord. Therefore, the Jews will indeed be putting perfume into their flour.

I have ways I try to serve the Lord, either by helping others, or being kind, or giving my tithe, or serving at church. In considering such items, I likely think of it as follows: "If I do X, then these people will be helped, and that will please the Lord." While the end result is good, the order is misprioritized. A better model would be, "If I do X, the Lord will be pleased, and furthermore these people will be helped."

Thinking of service in that manner may change what we actually do as a church ... or it might at least realign our hearts to the Lord. Maybe we still feed the poor, but by doing it to first and foremost please and obey the Lord, we truly bring his love more directly into the activity. Maybe we still tell others about Jesus, but by doing it first and foremost to fulfill Jesus' commission to us, we create more space for the Holy Spirit to create our words and work in the hearts of others.

Prayer: Lord, perhaps this is only a mindset issue and not a major problem, but may I consider more and more about how to truly think of you as the primary audience and recipient of everything I do. In this manner, may my heart turn to you more and more. Amen.