Giving Away Your Food

"One Year Bible" Old Testament History Passage
Numbers 26:52-28:15

"Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.'"  Numbers 28:2 (NKJV)

The books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deutronomy talk a lot about offerings.  There are all kinds of offerings mentioned there.  But, we need to remember what it's all about.  The issue is IDOLATRY.  Fallen man has an incredible propensity to CREATE LITTLE GODS.  Therefore, God requires that offerings be made in which we take something that we think is really valuable and we offer it to God.  We say to Him, "Here.  Take this.  I just want You to know that YOU are more imporant to me than this."

He is our greatest joy.  He is our greatest delight.  He is our fullest enjoyment of life.  Offerings teach us that.

In Numbers 28:2, God says that the offering is like food.  He calls it "My food."  Here's the picture:  Imagine sitting down to really good meal, and you are very hungry.  Yet, somehow you find that someone else has taken your meal!  You were about to enjoy your food, but someone asks for it or just plain takes it.  Most of us would get pretty upset if this were to happen. 

An offering, according to the Scripture, takes place when you actually GIVE AWAY that which you really wanted -- like that meal when you were hungry.  Such an offering is an act of worship.  It is offering to God that which you normally would have delighted in. 

One of the wonderful things about our God is that once you have given Him your food, He then will usually give it right back to you.  But first it must pass through His hands.  So, today, give God that which is most valuable to you.  THAT is an offering.