Day – 48

Keep the Flame Burning

 Read: Leviticus 5, 6; Psalm 48; Matthew 24:29-51

Scripture: Leviticus 6: 8 The Lord said to Moses: 9...‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

Observation: Israelites offered burnt offerings as an act of voluntary worship, to make an atonement with God, and to express their devotion, commitment, and absolute surrender to God. Whatever is offered as a burnt offering should be burnt to ashes. For this, keeping the fire on the altar burning throughout the day and night is very important. Once the sacrifice is burnt completely, the burnt offering becomes "an aroma pleasing to the Lord." The priest has a day-to-day responsibility to add firewood and remove the ashes. The burnt offering is a voluntary sacrifice, not a mandatory one. However, when a person brings it to the Lord, there are regulations to offer it as "an aroma pleasing to the Lord."

Application: Jesus Christ sacrificed his life on the cross to make atonement between man and God. Therefore, for atonement with God, all I need to do is nothing but accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Offering my life and my "SELF" to God is a voluntary act of worship. However, I need to keep the flame burning to keep my relationship intact with God. Then, my life will be an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Whatever hinders the fire from burning, I should be ready to remove it from me. It is a continuous and everyday responsibility to keep my spiritual life alive.

Prayer: Father God, I offer my life to you on the altar of sacrifice. Thank you for accepting me. Cleanse me, and purify my thoughts every day so that my life may become an aroma pleasing to you. Amen.

✍️: Arputharaj Samuel
📕: Quiet Time Companion
🗓️  Day – 48