HOW WOULD YOU APPRECIATE GOD?
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them'" (Exodus 30:11-12, NIV).
As the people of Israel were coming out of slavery in the land of Egypt, God gave them many laws that would guide them as a peculiar nation to Him. Among these laws was the atonement money to be paid to the sanctuary when men from twenty years and above were being counted as part of the military force. In contrast to other offerings, the rich were not to give more, nor the poor less (verse 15). This was to point out that the souls of the rich and poor are alike precious, and that God is no respecter of persons. This particular offering was to be paid as a ransom of the soul, so that "plague will come on them". Thus they acknowledged that they received their lives from God, that they had surrendered their lives to Him, and that they depended upon His power and patience for the continuance of them; and hence, they did homage to the God of their lives.
Most of these laws including this one are not applicable to us today because we are not under the law but under the grace of God. However, there is a lesson for us today from such law: we owe God our lives, and we have to be appreciating Him for the gift of life He has given us. Giving of money to the cause of the gospel is just one of the numerous ways to appreciate God for our lives. The most important appreciation we can give God is our life. This was what the Macedonian churches did. "They gave themselves first to the Lord..." (2 Corinthians 8:1, 5, NIV). Then, they did other kinds of giving to appreciate God.
How would you appreciate God for your life? What would you use to appreciate God for everything He is doing in your life? While many ministers of God would emphasize giving of money, have you considered firstly giving of your whole life back unto Him as your appreciation for that life? He deserves nothing less than that from you. Only an ingrate and a fool will disregard God and do not appreciate Him for his life.
Bayo Afolaranmi
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them'" (Exodus 30:11-12, NIV).
As the people of Israel were coming out of slavery in the land of Egypt, God gave them many laws that would guide them as a peculiar nation to Him. Among these laws was the atonement money to be paid to the sanctuary when men from twenty years and above were being counted as part of the military force. In contrast to other offerings, the rich were not to give more, nor the poor less (verse 15). This was to point out that the souls of the rich and poor are alike precious, and that God is no respecter of persons. This particular offering was to be paid as a ransom of the soul, so that "plague will come on them". Thus they acknowledged that they received their lives from God, that they had surrendered their lives to Him, and that they depended upon His power and patience for the continuance of them; and hence, they did homage to the God of their lives.
Most of these laws including this one are not applicable to us today because we are not under the law but under the grace of God. However, there is a lesson for us today from such law: we owe God our lives, and we have to be appreciating Him for the gift of life He has given us. Giving of money to the cause of the gospel is just one of the numerous ways to appreciate God for our lives. The most important appreciation we can give God is our life. This was what the Macedonian churches did. "They gave themselves first to the Lord..." (2 Corinthians 8:1, 5, NIV). Then, they did other kinds of giving to appreciate God.
How would you appreciate God for your life? What would you use to appreciate God for everything He is doing in your life? While many ministers of God would emphasize giving of money, have you considered firstly giving of your whole life back unto Him as your appreciation for that life? He deserves nothing less than that from you. Only an ingrate and a fool will disregard God and do not appreciate Him for his life.
Bayo Afolaranmi
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