Numbers 18:14-19: a reflection

14“Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours. 15Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to the LORD, both of man and animal, shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals. 16You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs. 17“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to the LORD. 18Their meat shall be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. 19All the wave offerings of the holy things which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD to you and to your offspring with you.”

In this passage God makes provision for the priests, who had no land of their own. Because they served at the sanctuary and had no inheritance like the other tribes, God gives them a portion from the offerings: the devoted things, the firstborn, parts of the sacrifices. This is your portion, he tells them, a covenant of salt forever, a permanent, enduring provision. Those who gave their lives to God's service would be provided for, from what was offered to God.

Notice how God provides for those who serve him. The priests had given up an ordinary inheritance to serve at the sanctuary; and God did not leave them without provision, but gave them a portion, a settled and enduring one, a covenant of salt, from the offerings brought to him. Those who served God would be sustained by God; their provision came from him, and it was secure, a lasting covenant. God took responsibility to provide for those who gave themselves to his service.

That points to a comfort for those who give themselves to serving God: that he takes responsibility to provide for them. When we give ourselves to God's service, we may sometimes wonder about our provision, having set aside other securities to serve him. But God, who provided for the priests a settled and enduring portion, provides for those who serve him. He does not call people to his service and then leave them without provision; he takes responsibility for their sustaining. If you have given yourself to serving God, and wonder about your provision, trust the God who provided for the priests a covenant of salt. He takes responsibility to sustain those who serve him; rest in his provision, which is settled and enduring, rather than anxiously securing your own. The God you serve will provide for you, as he provided for those who served at his sanctuary.

Lord, in this passage you provided for the priests, who had no land of their own, giving them a portion from the offerings, a covenant of salt forever, a settled and enduring provision, because they served at your sanctuary. Show me the comfort in that: that you take responsibility to provide for those who serve you. When I give myself to your service, I may sometimes wonder about my provision, having set aside other securities to serve you. But you, who provided for the priests a settled and enduring portion, provide for those who serve you. You do not call people to your service and then leave them without provision; you take responsibility for their sustaining. If I have given myself to serving you, and wonder about my provision, help me trust you, who provided for the priests a covenant of salt. You take responsibility to sustain those who serve you; help me rest in your provision, which is settled and enduring, rather than anxiously securing my own. You whom I serve will provide for me, as you provided for those who served at your sanctuary; help me trust your provision, Lord.