Bringing a Gift
Bringing A Gift
Whatever the Lord has given you, give it back!
*Go Back to Part I and read the series.
“Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” Deut. 16:16-17
This is one of my favorite Old Testament scriptures for I believe that three times in a person’s life one is faced with crucial decisions about Jesus. Feast of Unleavened Bread, Passover, is when one is faced with Jesus as his Sacrificial Lamb, his Savior. The Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, is when is faced with Jesus as Lord. Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles is when one is faced with eternal life with Jesus. Although each person’s testimony is different in conditions and place, they are uniform spiritually.
For each one “no man should appear before the Lord empty-handed”. In Old Testament time a different grain offering was given at each Feast. Today something must be given at each spiritual event in one’s life, “a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” That’s worship: giving back the proportion that the Lord has blessed you.” Passover, being “born again” requires giving up your “garbage, you sin, your baggage” for Jesus to be your Savior. Pentecost requires giving up your “all” for Jesus to be you Lord where he reigns, not you. Feast of Tabernacles is when you give up “your life” here on earth to be with Jesus eternally in His Presence.
Each of the three spiritual events in one’s life requires the giving away of something. Worship is giving back to the Lord what He has given you. That gift when placed on the altar will either be given back in even a greater measure, or consumed, and something new will be reborn. Worship is giving. Jesus “gave” all the credit to His father; he “gave” up his life for us. He continues to give to us; all we need to do is give back. That is worship.