Leviticus - God loves a good BBQ

via TJC

“Then cut the animal in pieces, and the priests will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar. But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. 

It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Okay, I am on board with Leviticus being a strange book to read.  As I read the first several chapters giving the rules of how sacrifices were to be made the phrase “it is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord” was said dozens of times.  It reminded me of my neighbors who tell me they can smell the meat on my backyard smoker.  It carries over the neighborhood and it smells GOOD.  

All BBQ aside though, what does God really find pleasing about the aroma of sacrifice? I found (yes with a google search) that  Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15). As a Kingdom Man, a warrior in God's kingdom, I think it is my pride that I struggle most to offer up to God.  For me it is especially true in my marriage.  We are told as men following Christ that we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church and give ourselves up for her.  That’s a COMMAND that I consistently fail to sacrifice my pride to obey.  

A warrior/soldier follows the commands of his leader.  A warrior's obedience to God's commands is the pleasing aroma He wants to waft over the neighborhood of His Kingdom.

Daily Battle Order:

Consider today where you are struggling to be obedient to God's commands (it isn't following all the rules of the old testament by the way).  What commands did Jesus highlight for us?  The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:36-38).  Do you even know what that looks like? What aroma is God getting from you?  Wrestle with that!