Firstfruits

 

And why would we want to talk about firstfruits? Isn't that an Old Testament practice? 

Yes, you would be correct but, as is often the case with OT principles, there is a significant application for us in our current spiritual life.

First a history lesson. (Those of you with an aversion to anything historical, don't stop reading. It's important.) The firstfruits offering was first instituted in Leviticus 23. The people were to bring a sheath of grain from their first harvest to the priest who was to wave it before the Lord.

Then in Deuteronomy 26, the details get more specific. The first harvest of the crops were to be placed in a basket and presented to the priest. He would place the basket on the altar and then a whole liturgy was to be spoken by the people. It was very specific and when they finished, they bowed to the Lord. 

No grain was to be harvested before the firstfruits were offered. The significant part of this is that when they harvested that first crop, there was no guarantee that there would be more to harvest later on. Drought, locusts, hail and any number of other catastrophes could occur that would ruin their chances of a bountiful crop. The people had to trust that the Lord would provide for the rest. 

Don't miss that last sentence. They gave God the first and trusted Him with the rest. Put a pin in this and let's go the New Testament. Firstfruits is mentioned seven times, always symbolically because of one very important event.

Jesus fulfilled this firstfruits offering when He died for our sins. 

1 Corinthians 15:20 "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."

Subsequently, we as believers are considered the firstfruits of all creation.

James 1:18 "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth; that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

So let's pull this all together. Through Jesus, we are offered to the Father as a firstfruits offering. Our obligation is to give Him our best (our first) and trust Him to provide whatever we will need in the future. This includes our time, our money, and our talents. 

For me, this means that when I am reluctant to give of any of these things, I need to remember this firstfruits principle and not so be worried about how they will be replenished. That's God's job, not mine. 

Can I get an AMEN?

The Smells of the Seasons

 

I love the smell of spring. The different smells from flowers, trees, and fresh cut grass all mingle together to create an amazing fragrance. 

Summer just smells hot and sweaty. Fall tends to smell like moldy leaves and dust. Winter doesn't have a smell because everything is frozen. But spring....that's a whole different experience. And I'm not talking about the manmade smells like pumpkin spice or cinnamon. These are the smells of nature and spring just brings a freshness to the air that no other season can claim. 

As I was taking a walk last night through our neighborhood and enjoying the sweet smells, I was reminded of the many times in the Bible that God considers our worship as a "sweet aroma." In the Old Testament, it was the smell of the sacrificial offerings being made. But in the New Testament, because Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, our worship now becomes the aroma that pleases God. 

"For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." 2 Corinthians 2:15

All this made me think about my own worship and how it smells to God. Which season does it resemble the most? What fragrance do others smell on me? Spiritually, not physically, of course. The latter could be iffy at times. But spiritually, we Jesus followers should give off an aroma of love, peace, joy and all the other fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5. 

So enjoy the smell of Spring while it lasts but let's make our spiritual fragrance last all year.