Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Out of the Ordinary Thought from Leviticus....

I can now personally attest to the "dangerous" nature of the "Dangerous Chocolate Cake-in-a-Mug" recipe. It is way too easy to make chocolate cake any time I feel like it. I think I have used that recipe 5 times now... and that is sort-of a scary thing. Every time I make it, I make myself a mental note to buy some spray-on whipped cream to use on it next time I am at the store. Wow- won't that just add to the already-nutritious nature of the snack! Anyway.... despite other issues that are pressing on my life right now, my weight is a continual source of aggrivation for me. I am not where I want to be at all and the stress of life just makes me want to eat more. At times for me, it is like idol worship- in that I run to food when I ought to run to God.

So... that leads into a verse I journaled about in Leviticus a while back. By the way, I'm almost done with Leviticus!! I am starting to make real progress on my reading schedule again... I am pleased with myself. And my renewed interest is being helped by a class I am in on Wednesday nights on the Jewish sacrificial system- it really is very interesting, believe it or not!

Anyway... this is the verse from Leviticus 4:31:

"He (the priest) will burn the fat on the altar and it will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord. And they will be forgiven".

Well, needing to burn some fat myself, I really like the idea of fat being burned up on the altar as a pleasing aroma to God. I am not trying to extrapolate more from this verse than what is there... and this is not to say that fat people aren't "right with the Lord". (God help me if they aren't!) But I do know that God desires the best for us... and that when we do things to make his temple more healthy and to help it function the way he designed it... it is pleasing to Him. So I just like the thought that when I go for a walk or exercise or decide NOT to make that next mug of chocolate cake-- I can think about the fat being burned on an altar as an offering to the Lord and it makes it so much more meaningful to think of it as a pleasing aroma to Him.


1 comments:

Kristy said...

I love the picture - we need one that big, don't we? I can say that, seeing as how I am eating my 3rd hunk of peanut butter rice krispy treats, and just finished eating some Lays potato chips with French Onion dip. (I went grocery shopping today) My weight is really getting to me also - it is something I think of every day of my life. Doing something about it is something I think about, but actually do.... I'm glad I don't know how to make your chocolate cake in a mug thing, because I know it would be way too easy to just stir it up and pop it in the micro. Thanks for giving that verse in Lev. a practical meaning for us today.