Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love from Leviticus

Leviticus is not usually the book to turn to for a passages on love. So I was surprised to see God's love expressed so clearly there. In one sense it should not be a shock to see love expressed anywhere in Scripture, since God (Scripture's Source) is love. I was reading this morning in Leviticus 26. It's a pretty serious text, where God promises blessing for faithfulness and warns against unrepentant disobedience. Here's what I saw today.
1. Obedience is noticed and rewarded by God.
God rewards by blessing those who act in love towards Him and His people.

2. Disobedience to God's law always has a consequence.
Willful disregard for God's standards result in discipline.

3. God is a loving, not a push over, parent.
God loves his children and wants their best. But he is not a push over so sinful deeds do not go unpunished.

4. Persistent sinfulness brings an intensification of discipline.

5. At every step along the path of disobedience grace is extended to those who repent.

6. Total loss is the inevitable result of life in rebellion against God.

7. Even when sin destroys every good thing in our lives, God in love offers to us grace to start new again. "But if they will confess their sin...then I (God)will remember..." Lev. 26.41-42