You've Been Given A Gift!

I've been trying all week to write this. Sometimes the words just flow and sometimes they are like pieces of a puzzle that have to be fitted together. That's kind of what this feels like. The separate parts have all been there. They just need to be pieced together.

Have you ever been the recipient of a really great gift? Maybe it was something that you wanted. Or perhaps it was something that you didn't expect to get. That's sort of  how I felt when Matt proposed (ok the sort of part is an understatement!). Of course the question was the most important part (and I even said yes before I saw the ring) but once I got that ring -- I showed it to EVERYBODY!! I was constantly looking at it and showing it off. I am quite sure that alot of people avoided me just so they wouldn't have to look at it AGAIN! I am careful not to wear it to work if I think it may be in danger of getting damaged. It is definitely one of my greatest (material) gifts.

Last week's message in church was based on 1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Pastor Dan was talking about how we are ALL Priests. It is not just the Pastor's job to spread the gospel or to do the work of the ministry. We are ALL called to work. (Ephesians 2:10) and we are ALL called to serve (Ephesians 4:12).

Well, I happen to be reading the book of Numbers right now and so the idea of the work of the priests has been on the forefront of my mind. Aaron and his sons were selected by God to do the work of the priesthood and the work of caring for the Temple - or in this part of the Old Testament it is called the Tent of Meeting since it was not yet a building. ONLY Aaron could approach the inner part of  the tent and especially the back part - behind the veil - where the Spirit of God was. This was a great honor to be one of the Levites!! This was a very special privilege and not something to be taken lightly. In fact, it was so serious that if anyone else even approached the Tent, both the approacher AND the priest were killed. Well, in chapter 18 verse 7 I found this little nugget:

I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.

Wow! That's Cool!! Aaron was given the gift of an intimate relationship with God. So, now as New Testament believers, we have been given this gift as well through Jesus and His sacrifice!! We have the privilege of approaching the Throne of God without fear of death.We don't need to go through a priest or a mediator because Jesus IS our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15).

Anyway, now I'm sidetracked again! LOL Well, I just wondered, when I read that passage in Numbers 18, do we treat our priesthood as a gift?? Are we taking it for granted? It is an amazing thing to be able to have a real relationship with the Creator of the universe! Have you ever thought about it before? What if we truly did view it as a gift? How would that affect the way we treat it or the way we share it with others? Would we go around talking about it to anyone who would listen? How would that *gift* change your life? How has it changed your life? Could it change someone else's??