Scripture Daily

Context No. 4222 of 4322 · Leviticus

Context · Reflection

Leviticus 6:14-18: in context

14“‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar. 15He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma, as its memorial portion, to the LORD. 16That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting. 17It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass offering. 18Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of the LORD made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’”

In the law of the grain offering, the priest takes a handful of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense and burns it on the altar as a memorial portion, a pleasant aroma to the LORD, while the rest is eaten by the priests in a holy place. A small token, a single handful, is offered up to God on behalf of the whole, and it rises to him as a pleasing aroma.

What is striking is that God receives this offering as pleasing. The handful burned on the altar, the memorial portion, represented the worshiper's gift and gratitude, and it ascended to God as a pleasant aroma, welcome to him. God delighted in the offering his people brought, even a handful of flour, when it was given to him sincerely.

Our gifts to him may seem small, a handful of flour, a modest act, a simple prayer. Yet when offered sincerely, they rise to God as a pleasing aroma; he receives and delights in what his people bring. We need not have grand offerings; the handful given in devotion is welcome to God, ascending to him as a pleasant aroma, as our gifts and prayers do through Christ.

Do I trust that the offerings I bring to God, however small they seem, a handful, a modest gift, a simple prayer, rise to him as a pleasing aroma when given sincerely, so that he receives and delights in what his people bring him?

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