Leviticus 6:19-23: a reflection

19The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 20“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to the LORD in the day when he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening. 21It shall be made with oil in a griddle. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a pleasant aroma to the LORD. 22The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burned to the LORD. 23Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”

Among the offerings prescribed in Leviticus is a particular one: the grain offering that the priest was to bring for himself, day by day, wholly burned to the LORD. Even the priest, the one who ministered to God on behalf of the people and offered their sacrifices, had to bring his own offering; he was not exempt from coming before God as one who himself needed to offer. This is worth noticing: that even those who serve God, who minister in his presence, are themselves ones who must come as offerers, who need to bring their own offering, who depend on grace like everyone else. The priest was not above needing to offer; he too came before God as one who must bring an offering. Those who serve God are not exempt from coming to him as ones who themselves need to offer and depend on grace. Even the minister must himself come as an offerer. To serve God does not exempt us from ourselves needing to offer and depend on grace. Those who serve God still come as ones who need him.

Notice what this offering reveals: even the priest had to offer for himself. The priest ministered before God, offered the people's sacrifices, served in God's presence; and yet he was not exempt from bringing his own offering, from coming before God as one who himself needed to offer. This is instructive, for those who serve God, who minister, who lead in worship, can be tempted to think of themselves chiefly as those who help others come to God, forgetting that they too must come as ones who themselves need to offer, who depend on grace. But the priest's own offering reminds us that no one who serves God is above needing to come to God himself, to offer, to depend on grace like everyone else. Those who minister to others still need to be ministered to by God; those who help others offer still need to offer themselves. To serve God does not lift us above our own need of him, our own need to come as offerers, dependent on his grace. The one who serves God still comes as one who needs him. No servant of God is above his own need to offer and depend on grace. Those who minister still come to God as ones in need.

That is worth taking to heart, for even those who serve God must come to him as ones who themselves need to offer and depend on grace. We can, in serving God or others, come to think of ourselves chiefly as those who help others come to God, forgetting that we too must come as ones who ourselves need to offer, who depend on grace; but even the priest had to bring his own offering. Serving God does not exempt us from our own need of him. Do not, in serving God, forget that you too must come to him as one who needs to offer and depend on grace; even the priest offered for himself. Remember that even those who serve God must come to him as ones who themselves need to offer and depend on grace, as even the priest was to bring his own grain offering day by day; for those who minister to others, who serve God and help others come to him, are not exempt from their own need to come as offerers, dependent on grace like everyone else, so that to serve God does not lift us above our own need of him but leaves us still coming to him as ones who need to offer, and those who minister to others still need to be ministered to by God and to depend on his grace themselves.

Lord, among the offerings prescribed in Leviticus is a particular one: the grain offering that the priest was to bring for himself, day by day, wholly burned to you. Even the priest, the one who ministered to you on behalf of the people and offered their sacrifices, had to bring his own offering; he was not exempt from coming before you as one who himself needed to offer. This is worth noticing: that even those who serve you, who minister in your presence, are themselves ones who must come as offerers, who need to bring their own offering, who depend on grace like everyone else. Show me what this offering reveals: even the priest had to offer for himself. The priest ministered before you, offered the people's sacrifices; and yet he was not exempt from bringing his own offering. This is instructive, for those who serve you, who minister, who lead in worship, can be tempted to think of themselves chiefly as those who help others come to you, forgetting that they too must come as ones who themselves need to offer, who depend on grace. But the priest's own offering reminds me that no one who serves you is above needing to come to you himself. Those who minister to others still need to be ministered to by you. Take that to my heart, for even those who serve you must come to you as ones who themselves need to offer and depend on grace. I can, in serving you or others, come to think of myself chiefly as one who helps others come to you, forgetting that I too must come as one who needs to offer, who depends on grace; but even the priest had to bring his own offering. Keep me from forgetting, in serving you, that I too must come to you as one who needs to offer and depend on grace, Lord, as even the priest offered for himself day by day, so that I never think serving you lifts me above my own need of you.