Liverless Sweet Savor

Liverless Sweet Savor

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint' (Isaiah 40:31).

            Several times in my life, as do we all, living among the unbelievers and pretenders of believers in God in this world, a fine, young, ambitious man would say to me, "Tom you take this matter of religion too seriously."

            If there is no God, why the pretention? Why express thankfulness-faithfulness-gratefulness? Why Thanksgiving?

            Just because we are stupid enough to think we are fooling God with our pretentions...singing of hymns...good works, don't think for one minute that God is stupid. He knows the heart, knows those who are his. His father chose, and gave to him those he elected Him to have, those with which God wants to spend eternity. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). It could not be more clear: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10). 

            We are squatters in God's territory. Basic Christianity, the very beginning, one tree, he set up his rights, he is boss. The 20th century church made a beggar of God, using modernistic-Madison Avenue methods, deceiving people into thinking that God needs them, wants what they can do for him. For God to be God, he does not need anything. The real Christian is not begged to believe in the faithfulness-mercy of God. One does not beg a real Christian to attend worship services, prayer services, servitude for Christ. Church rows are filled with members who signed a card, into the Baptistery a dry sinner, out a wet sinner, never knowing the joy of salvation in living and giving.  

            William Kepler said, "God moves in mysterious ways." Jacobed and Amran's son Moses, retrieved from the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter, raised in Pharaoh's house with all the knowledge of the world. So, Moses wrote The Torah, face to face relationship with God. God telling him everything the children of Israel should do, laws they should observe. Often, 203 offerings in one week....sin offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, . Read the book of Leviticus and learn the offerings-sacrifices in detail, everything expected of these people to obey God.

            As the offering plate is passed in your church, "tips" given to God, think of these nomads, living outside in tents, giving the best of their flocks-unblemished outside and inside. Any imperfection seen by the priest and the offering was rejected. Never justify or rationalize an offering to God. There is nothing more PRAGMATIC. Just as Mary Magdalene, breaking the alabaster box of expensive ointment, anointing Jesus and Judas, the thief, one of the disciples saying, "What a waste. It could have been sold and money given to the poor." To raise money you always use children and the poor.

            Just as at the dedication of Solomon's temple, when 22,000 oxen were sacrificed-sheep beyond number, the children of Israel knew that God loved the sweet savor smoke smell of sacrifice. Perhaps in the smoke, God could not see an imperfect animal for sacrifice-burnt offering. Perhaps he got mixed up in counting the amount of oil or flour. Perhaps he would not have missed the liver of one animal if the priest wanted liver for supper. God could detect the sweet savor of a liverless animal. Then, as today, you can not out give God. They knew the power of his presence, were told not to touch a mountain, arch of the covenant, to do so, meant death. God does not mess around. The Jewish nation were slow learners...the history is there for everyone to study. God does not change, he is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Today, just as 4,000 years ago, the fire of God's existence must be burned into the soul. If God told the Israelites not to use a goat with a wart, to burn 13 bullets, surely we know that God can count. We do not put the 13th floor in a hotel (Psalm 66:12-20, Numbers 29:13-14).  4,000 years ago, 2,000 years ago-the cross, this side of the cross, for the real believer, this world is not our home, we obey while here. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

            This writer would be the first in line to tell you about the discouragement-despair of living in a sin infested world. Think of what is was like to "hang on" to the promises of God in the promises of the Old Testament, the prophecies of the New Testament, the profanities of today's world. Peter, one who knew best, said, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13).

            There was an intimate relationship between Jesus and his disciples. Never, did they stop showing respect to him. In a world of spoiled children, hypocrisy, compromise, political correctness, it is so important for God to smell the sweet savor of respect not only to himself but to those who have weathered the storms of life. The older I get, the more I appreciate those old saints who had learned so much just from living. Please God, forgive me for my egotistical attitude in presenting your word from the pulpit. There were so many in the audience through study and the experiences of life more able to teach me. The disciples, the profits, the saints of old, did not seek to impress God but to obey.