Numbers 28:9-15: a reflection

9“‘On the Sabbath day, you shall offer two male lambs a year old without defect, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, and its drink offering: 10this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. 11“‘In the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect, 12and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb, as a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. 14Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 15Also, one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

This passage lays out the offerings for the Sabbath and the new moon, the special offerings for the recurring sacred days. And a phrase recurs through it: these are in addition to the continual burnt offering. Beneath the special offerings of Sabbath and new moon lay the continual burnt offering, the daily, steady sacrifice offered morning and evening without fail. The special days had their special offerings; but underneath them all ran the continual, daily devotion that never stopped.

Notice the continual offering underlying the special ones. The Sabbath and new moon had their added offerings; but these were in addition to the continual burnt offering, the steady, daily sacrifice that went on unceasingly. The special occasions did not replace the daily devotion, but were added to it; the foundation was the continual offering, the steady constancy that underlay the special days. Devotion to God was not only for special occasions, but a daily, continual thing.

That pattern, of continual daily devotion underlying the special occasions, speaks to our own walk with God. We can be tempted to make our devotion to God a matter of special occasions, the high days, the moments of intensity, while the ordinary days go without steady devotion. But the continual burnt offering reminds us that the foundation is daily, steady constancy, beneath and underlying the special times. Do not let your devotion to God be only a matter of special occasions and moments of intensity; build beneath them the steady, daily constancy of continual devotion. The special days had their offerings, but the continual offering ran beneath them all; let your walk with God have that steady, daily foundation, a continual devotion that does not depend on special occasions, but goes on faithfully, day by day, morning and evening, beneath whatever high days come.

Lord, this passage lays out the offerings for the Sabbath and new moon, and a phrase recurs through it: these are in addition to the continual burnt offering, the steady, daily sacrifice that went on unceasingly beneath the special ones. Show me that pattern for my own walk with you. I can be tempted to make my devotion to you a matter of special occasions, the high days, the moments of intensity, while the ordinary days go without steady devotion. But the continual burnt offering reminds me that the foundation is daily, steady constancy, beneath and underlying the special times. Keep me from letting my devotion to you be only a matter of special occasions and moments of intensity; help me build beneath them the steady, daily constancy of continual devotion. The special days had their offerings, but the continual offering ran beneath them all; let my walk with you have that steady, daily foundation, a continual devotion that does not depend on special occasions, but goes on faithfully, day by day, beneath whatever high days come. Give me a steady, continual devotion, Lord, not only for special days.