Firstfruits

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 24, 25, 26

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 (NIV)
16 The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in His ways, that you will keep His decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey them. 18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands. 19 He has declared that He will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations He has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised.

Psalm 53:2 (NIV)
2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Good morning!

When I was a young girl growing up, my mother was determined to mold me into a domestic diva. She liked a squeaky-clean and organized home. I can remember walking home from school on a sunny, spring day, and catch a whiff of Pine Sol® floating through the windows from my house and dancing its way down the driveway. Mom would open every window while she cleaned. The laundry drying on the back clothes line had this sweet, clean scent. I loved folding the sheets outside and placing them in the linen closet just outside my bedroom door. That sun-dried fragrance made everything smell good.

I used to be better at housecleaning, especially when I was younger. Keeping a clean house is hard work! It takes time, effort and lots of determination. Dust bunnies will settle under the sofa if one neglects to sweep it regularly. Dishes can pile up at the sink if the cook forgets to how to load the dishwasher. And laundry is a four-lettered word; that is why it is not only a noun but also a verb – wash! If we let the wash pile up, it can take days to get through it. Do you like a clean home? Are you organized, meticulous, maybe even a little obsessive-compulsive? Or do you let things sit sometimes, like I do?

The Israelites had a lot to learn about holiness. There is no doubt how much God loves them. Over and over again, the Lord pours Himself out into their everyday life, with guidance and instruction. He teaches them how to be obedient, what to do when they find themselves in the need of forgiveness. He commands them to take care of the widow and orphan, the homeless, and the poor. God expects they will provide full support to their clergy, who spend their lives interceding for their sin. The Levites give up their inheritance to serve the Lord, through prayer, praise, and intercession for the community, and it is the community’s obligation to care for their needs.

When you offer God the best of who you are, what will He find in your offering plate? Do you give Him consistent praise and prayer? Do you neglect or shortchange God in your daily devotional time with Him? Has your spiritual laundry piled up due to laziness or apathy? When the Lord takes a whiff of your life’s offering, will He smell a sweet, clean scent, or will your meager efforts smell more like the gym socks sitting in the boy’s locker room after a football game?

A firstfruit should not be like the leftovers in our refrigerator. God doesn’t say “please” or “will you” when He instructs His people in daily living. He expects His children to seek Him out every day in every way. He demands our undivided attention to detail. This means that we cannot afford to become lazy or selfish in the time and talents we return to Him. He wants us reading and studying His Word, and He wants us to imprint His Word upon our hearts and apply them daily to our lives.

When you were a little child growing up, someone, somewhere was praying for you. They were praying that you would meet the Lord of life; that He would become your Way of life; and that your heart would be a heart He could use to lead others to Him. It is time to return the blessing. Take a spiritual inventory today. Is your house clean, or is it dusty? Do we need to do a little laundry, wash a few dishes, and sweep under the sofa? When the window to your soul is opened, will the Lord God Almighty smell a pleasing scent floating up toward heaven?

Firstfruits is a way to give back to the Lord for all He has given you. Will you make time daily to return to the Lord what you owe Him?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: help! Make a commitment to work hard and put forth every effort to honor and glorify the Lord God Almighty. He gave you this life – don’t you think you should offer it back to Him today? Come and worship the Lord with me. I’ll see you at church!
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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