CP 204 Father loves his lamb...

CP 204 Father loves his lamb…

One of my members gave me a little book to read a few weeks ago. Its title is The Birthright. The author is John Sheasby.  Powerful stuff, affirming so much insight collected over the years. Liberating truth to savour. Right near the end I read something which gave my heart and spirit a joyful jolt like I hadn’t had in years. I’ll try to share it with you.

It’s about sheep, specifically lambs, the ones that get consideration for sacrifice in the Old Testament. I need you to ponder what Moses told the Israelites about the lambs to be presented for Passover. They were to be ‘without defect’. Exodus 12:5 Other translations often have ‘without blemish’, or ‘unblemished’. Here are the general guidelines for determining the suitability of such an offering:

“…it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable. Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Leviticus 22:21-22

Just for a moment try to visualise the scene as the worshipper presents the lamb. The priest doesn’t just accept it. No, he subjects it to a rigorous examination. Is it fly-blown? Has it got footrot? Has it got cuts and bruises? Is it scabby? Are any bones broken? Are there deformities? Is it sick in any way? Apparently even a brown mark on the forehead was enough to declare it ‘unworthy’. It had to be ‘clean’ in the full Holy-Spirit-meaning of the word. It had to be ‘perfect’.

It was the priest’s task to be thorough. Now here’s the observation which so stirred my spirit. In all that inspection, “Not once did the priest examine the worshipper. Not once!”

Not once in that process of checking whether the lamb was worthy did the priest check out the person who presented it. It was never the worthiness of the worshipper that was at stake. Always and only the eyes are upon the lamb. Only a proven lamb will make the difference.

Some scripture for you:

·        Behold the Lamb of God who takes

            away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

·        For you know that it was not with

            silver or gold that you were

            redeemed… but with the precious

            blood of Christ, a lamb without

            defect or blemish. 1 Peter 1:19  

 

·        Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

            to receive power and wealth

            and wisdom and strength

            and honour and glory and praise!

            Revelation 5:12

So… if it all depends on the worthiness of the Lamb, and not on me, then, to use the language of this day, I’m sweet! And doesn’t it make even more sense to take the advice of the person who wrote “Hebrews”! How does it go?  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…" Hebrews 12:3 You never need to worry about the Father’s acceptance. He loves you so much that at that moment he only has eyes for the Lamb you present!!!

My friends, be blessed in HIM.

Fred