December 11, 2023

Passage Read: Exodus 27-30
Meditation Verse: 30:12

Thought

Is this why David got in trouble when he numbered the people? Did he forget or not know that the people were to ransom themselves from the Lord? Normally every firstborn son is to be redeemed because they belong to the Lord, from the Passover. But whenever a census was taken (and it was not forbidden anywhere in the Law), everyone counted was supposed to give half a shekel for their ransom to the Lord. Any time the people were counted, they were to be reminded that their life belonged to God, and they were to give an offering to the Lord to redeem their own life. Otherwise, the Lord could and might very well take it, if they did not acknowledge Him and His ownership of them.

Application

How easy it is to forget that all I am and all I have is from the Lord. Any and every reminder that I am the Lord's and that I need to honor Him for my life and with my life, it is a good thing. It is a good thing to remind myself that the real ransom of my life was costly indeed, the sacrifice of the Son of God. I shouldn't take my life for granted and I shouldn't ignore the One who gave it to me and redeemed me with His own Son. I owe my life to Him, I owe my salvation to Him, and I should honor Him with it.