Verse of the Day 12/11

Proverbs 4:23Keep your heart with all vigilance,

    for from it flow the springs of life.  English Standard Version (ESV)

I changed the order of today's devotional and started with what I intended to end with, the reason being is that I feared that if I started with the verse below, some, perhaps many would not read beyond it.  I still hope that it will not be the case.

Exodus 29:20  Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron's right earlobe, on his sons' right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the remaining blood on all sides of the altar.    Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The people of Israel were still wandering but were nearing the  time when they would be entering the promised land.  Moses time of leading was nearing its end and he gave these instructions to the people.  To the casual observer, these things sound strange, placing the blood of a sacrificed animal on various parts of the body, sound pretty weird.  But these instructions were given to the priests who would go before God for the people.  They were symbolic ways to show how they were to come before God.  MacArthur writes, "daubing the blood on the right ear, hand and big toe symbolically sanctified the ear to hear the word of God, the hand to do the work of God, and the foot to walk in the way of God."  It was about consecrating themselves, dedicating themselves to God's service.  While realizing and remembering the cost of the shed blood.

We don't have to literally put blood on parts of our bodies, Christ made the sacrifice and paid the price for once and for all.  But we are still to remember the blood that He shed for us and we should still dedicate or ears, hands, and feet to do His will.  We are also, as today's verse tells us, to guard our hearts, knowing that the adversary wants to keep us from doing so.

George Everard writes, "Mark the stealthy character of sin's approach: Eve loiters near the forbidden tree. The Tempter suggests the pleasure and the advantage to be derived from tasting it. The eye gazes--the ear hearkens--the foot tarries--the heart desires--the hand takes--mankind falls! and the dark plague-spot of iniquity has fastened upon humanity, from which it has never since been free.....
Would you be safe from the deceit and the craft of the adversary? Then watch and pray evermore. Be ever watchful over yourself. Watch diligently, every avenue of sin's approach. The eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the foot--and above all, the heart--require a constant guard. "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life!" Proverbs 4:23

Then abide near the mercy-seat. Put your soul continually into the hand of Christ, and you will be safe. "

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.

• Refrain:
  There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r
  In the blood of the Lamb;
  There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r
  In the precious blood of the Lamb.

The eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the foot--and above all, the heart--require a constant guard.  As you prepare for worship this weekend, dedicate them, consecrate them in the precious blood of the lamb.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Exodus 29:19-21The Message (MSG)

^19-21 "Then take the second ram. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the ram's head. Slaughter the ram. Take some of its blood and rub it on Aaron's right earlobe and on the right earlobes of his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the rest of the blood against all sides of the Altar. Then take some of the blood that is on the Altar, mix it with some of the anointing oil, and splash it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes so that Aaron and his clothes and his sons and his sons' clothes will be made holy.