New and Free!

By Belinda

I turned to Leviticus 14, part of my reading for the day. "Not exactly the most exciting or gripping part of the Bible," I thought, but I would plod through.

The chapter is about infectious skin diseases and mildew in houses! To my surprise God began to speak even through a passage I was expecting to "just get through."

Three things struck me (with the caveat that these are my humble and limited thoughts on a passage that probably has much more profound meaning):
  1. The passage mentions sacrifices of doves and lambs for cleansing. If the spreading nature of skin diseases and mildew represents sin in humankind, then the sacrifice of the most harmless and innocent creatures on the altar of our sin, is a picture of the devastation our sin wreaks on the innocent; both in the natural world and our relationships. For truly, no man is an island (John Donne,) and only a brief pondering affirms that as true when it comes to our sin: greed, selfishness, bitterness, gossip, to name only those we tend to ignore. 
  2. Leviticus 14:33-53 describes the drastic action for mildew on a house wall: the removal of the affected portion of bricks--and, if this is not successful, the demolishing and removal to the outside of town, of the stones, timber and plaster. It reminded me of the renovations God does; how he makes us new when we become his.

  3. Leviticus 14:53 (New International Version) 53 Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. Freedom! Release from old bondages! It is finished!

    All of this affirms the message of the song that I posted here last Friday. Its message continues to sing in my heart!

I Will Change Your Name

(D.J. Butler)

I will change your name
You shall no longer be called
Wounded, outcast
Lonely or afraid

I will change your name
Your new name shall be
Confidence, joyfulness
Overcoming one

Faithfulness, friend of God
One who seeks my face.

Copyright © 1987 Mercy Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Comments

Marilyn Yocum said…
Alright! Thank you for this. It's timely and your excitement is contagious.
10:06 AM
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