Friday 15 Sep 2017

September 15: Leviticus 2:11-13

Key Verse: Leviticus 2:13
Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

Devotion:
One of the simplest things on earth, salt. Ever so easy to just forget about it, yet how essential it is to so many things. If we are going to use salt to keep the roads clear of ice, we have to spread dirt and salt mixed together before the ice comes; but the dirt that is spread has to have enough salt content otherwise it will not work. If we are going to use it as a flavouring, we have to make sure we have a salt that is clean so that we can eat it. But if we were to sprinkle something that looked like salt on our food but did not taste like it, we may as well put anything on – we would have lost the point of the salt.

Amazingly, Jesus describes us as the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13-16) We, Christians, are that important part, to be used in so many ways – but to be used in the right way, we have to consist of the right ingredients.

Jesus also describes us as the light of the world. If we want to light up a room enough to see things at night, then we place the light in a place where it will do the most good. If we want to shed light over something, it is no good hiding that light behind something!

Back in the beginning when various offering were to be made, salt had to be added to the grain offerings; firstly to stop the grain from going off and secondly for taste. What use is an offering if the “use by” date has expired or runs out before it can be used? God wants us to offer ourselves in a long-term role and not just for things we want to do. God wants us to have a good shelf-life, to be useful for longer and bear more fruit. He wants us to be good for many things and not just for decoration. Step up and use your salt!

Points to Ponder:
How much stuff gets thrown out in your household?

Are you listening to God to be as efficient as possible?