The Lord Regulates Offerings

Scripture: Leviticus 10:3

Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

Insights: Let me give you the first two definitions of the word regulate.  The first definition of regulate is: to govern or direct according to rule.  The second definition of regulate is: to bring order, method, or uniformity to something.  The reason I give you these definitions is for you to understand that God is the ONE, and let me emphasize, THE ONLY ONE, who gets to determine what is an appropriate offering of worship to Himself.  In church history, and unfortunately in some places, presently, we experienced worship wars.  For most people reading these Thoughts by Scott you know what I mean by that statement.  Just in case you don’t, however, let me briefly explain.  There have been, and still are, those who think hymn singing and southern gospel styles are the only appropriate and acceptable kinds of music sung in a church.  They believe anything new or modern is irreverent and not appropriate to present to the Lord.  On the other side of the fence were those who thought anything but contemporary music was not relevant for modern worshippers, and therefore, old hymns ought never to be sung.  The problem with both of these thoughts is that man became the arbiter as to what is acceptable to the Lord.  Let me tell you, God likes and enjoys them both.  We have done the same thing with our clothing preferences.  There was a day in which men wore suits and ties and ladies wore dresses and nice hats.  Over time, however, these forms of reverence have shifted and to place an arbitrary external demand on dress is a personal preference issue and not the commands of the Lord.  We need to hear the words of David, “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:16-17).”  What David was teaching us in his confession of repentance was the Lord looks at the heart of the worshipper, not the external performance.  Beloved, you do not regulate the standard, the Lord does!

Questions:

1. Do you allow your personal preferences to dictate what you think are acceptable offerings of worship?
2. Have you come to the place where you understand that the Lord is the only One who is qualified to regulate what are acceptable offerings of worship?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I have dictated the standard of worship.  Help my heart to be pure and blameless before You and offer You the kinds of offerings You desire.  As David told us, You desire a broken and contrite spirit over external forms or expressions of worship.  Amen.