PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Deuteronomy 25-26
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I have removed from my house the sacred portion…” (Deuteronomy 26:13)
The sacred portion is another name for the first (and best) of the harvest.
Before you feed yourself, you owe a portion to God and to others.
Behind these chapters is a reminder of our sacred portion, what comes first.
Moses designs the laws in ch.25 to defend the honour of others.
Though these laws are very patriarchal, their intent is loving respect.
Do not dishonour your neighbour: family or stranger, those in need, the guilty.
The person being punished should not be “degraded in your eyes” (25:3).
The childless brother whose widow remains should not be dishonoured (25:5-10).
The man fighting a woman’s husband should not be dishonoured (25:11-12).
Those who dishonour others will be dishonoured (ask the Amalekites, 25:17-19).
Our sacred duty, our first priority, is to love and honour God and others.
Those who refuse to fulfill this sacred duty will lose it for themselves.
Our views on how to love and honour may change, but this sacred duty does not.
Such loving honour is a debt that is always due (Romans 13:8).
PRAYER
Lord, the sacred portion of my life is my duty to love and honour you and others, even foreigners and foes. Help me to cut off dishonouring words and ways!
All these decrees and commands and right way to honour God – it was the way to God for the people of God: “And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.” God had set aside Israel to be a blessing and by Israel we received full rightness with God through Jesus – a Jew – but a lot more than that. We now as followers of Jesus are His disciples – Christians – we too need to live justice and mercy – we need to be the kind of fair and loving people as all these laws and decrees were meant to guide the Israelites. Lord, help me to be a loving person – a priest who serves the image bearers you put in my path. In the name of Jesus!
Do this and live.
Love God.
Love others.
That is the JOY principle. Jesus – Others – Yourself.
Keep His commands.
Today as every other day, Jesus is with us as He promised.
Emmanuel.
Do His will with all your heart and soul and mind.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be