Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. -1 Chronicles 16:34
Gratitude is an integral part of our faith heritage. The expression of faithfulness is one of the foundational principles held by the people of God. Reading through the sacrificial prescriptions God gave the Hebrew people is not often at the top of our “must read” lists. Yet, after their exodus from bondage in Egypt, the people are taught to offer sacrifices for more than sin. They are taught to offer sacrifices out of sheer gratitude.
Leviticus 7:11-15 records the prescription for a fellowship offering out of thankfulness. It almost feels like an anomaly at the end of the sacrificial laws. However, I think it is the life to which the other laws are intended to point humanity. Unlike the other sacrifices, the fellowship offering is not a command but an opportunity. This offering is a response to one’s recognition of God’s mighty acts of salvation.
The other sacrificial laws are the “Do this” and “Don’t do this” parts of early Jewish faith. “Do this” and “Don’t do that” are not an end of themselves. They are means to prepare hearts, minds, and souls to experience God’s transformative grace. I think the other sacrificial laws were intended to put the people in a place to turn their attention back to God so that they may experience right relationship with him and with one another. In so doing, they cannot help but be thankful and desire to share that gratitude. The fellowship offering of thankfulness is not an anomaly; it’s a result of one seeking relationship with God and others.
As Christians in the Wesleyan tradition, we do not to practice the sacrificial system found in Leviticus. There are, however, still “Do this” and “Don’t do this” components of our faith journey that open us to life-giving relationship with Christ. This year let us examine the “Do this” and “Don’t do this” commands in our lives. Let us make expedient use of those that bring our attention back to God. When we do, I believe the result will be gratitude for the blessings that God pours upon our lives. When we live gratefully and express our thankfulness, we tap into the historic roots of faithful people through time and space.
Rev. Drew Haynes, Pastor of Campus Operations
