No Exchanges

"If what they vowed is an animal that is acceptable

as an offering to the LORD,

such an animal given to the LORD becomes holy.

They must not exchange it

or substitute a good one for a bad one,

or a bad one for a good one;

if they should substitute one animal for another,

both it and the substitute become holy."

Leviticus 27:9-10

A friend recently told me about an experience she had in selling a piece of exercise equipment.  The potential buyer saw her ad on the classified advertising website and arranged to see the item.  Once he examined the equipment thoroughly and asked numerous questions, the man offered to pay a price that was about half the asking price.  When my friend and her husband stood firm, he kept attempting to negotiate.  Finally, when he could see there was no wiggle room, he agreed to pay the quoted fee and they loaded the purchase into the new owner's vehicle.

After a couple of days, my friend's phone rang.  When she answered it, she was dismayed to hear the voice of this same man, asking if he could return the equipment.  She firmly stated that the sale had been final; no returns accepted!

As puzzling as this experience was, I often do the same thing as this waffling customer.  Instead of wavering on a purchase, though, I try to exchange God's way for my own.  The Lord, however, takes me at my word.  Once I give my life to Jesus Christ and vow to follow Him all the days of my life, He expects me to stand by my decision.  God accepts no substitutes or exchanges when it comes to the way I live.

Worship

They spent much time raising their hands in praise, singing with all their might and swaying back and forth to the music.  The strains of the chorus moved the people, touching their hearts and invoking a spirit of worship.  The love they felt for God was so strong that many felt motivated to reach out to a lost world so they too could know such affection.  As soon as they walked out the door of the church, however, the emotion was gone and they went back to living for themselves.

This may be what the average American Christian thinks about worship and it also could describe what most of us experience on Sunday mornings.  God, however, intended so much more for His children.

Instead of worship being a once-a-week experience, He created us to live in relationship with Him.  The Lord wants me to dedicate all that I am to Him, giving Him full access to my life and desiring Him to have dominion.   He gave His all to me by offering His own precious Son as a sacrifice so that I could avoid the punishment I deserve.  In return, He asks me for my life. (Romans 12:1) 

There is nothing I can substitute for this kind of worship.  When I try, it falls flat and God is not impressed.  I can spend my life reaching out to the homeless, or running a non-profit organization that cares for children in need, or faithfully attending church every time the doors are open, but if my heart is not fully devoted to the Lord, wanting only His will for my life, then it means nothing to Him.  If I only desire His presence and if sitting at His feet is what truly completes me, I have found what it means to give my life as a living sacrifice. It is then that I will find nothing short of knowing and obeying Him fully will be what satisfies me.  

Many times, however, I try to worship my way.  I raise my hands once a week then continue to live in the way that pleases me.  I watch shows that are an offense to what God has taught me as being right, I take part in activities where I compromise godly values, and I speak words and think thoughts that offend a holy God.  

To make up for my way of life, I attend weekly prayer meetings, take part in outreach ministries, or teach children on a regular basis, thinking these offerings will atone for all the ways I allow sin into my life. (Isaiah 1:10-17) Instead, the only kind of worship God desires is a broken heart that is willing to turn away from the sinful ways which displease Him. (Psalm 51:17)  Jesus paid a painful price for my transgressions: Should I treat sin so lightly? (Isaiah 53:5)

When Jesus paid the price for my sins and I accepted His gift of salvation, my life became His. (1 Corinthians 6:20)  Instead of living for myself, then, a true act of worship is to give my life to Him to do with as He pleases.

Salvation

The unmerited favor of God.  Salvation from eternal damnation.  The free gift of eternal life.  The restoration of my broken relationship with God.  There are many aspects to the gift of salvation that come through faith in Jesus Christ.  Whatever it is I gain, however, I can be sure it is not based on anything I have done or could do.  Instead, it is purely a result of God's great love for me.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Even though I may know I am saved by grace, not by works, this principle may not have sunken in and taken hold of my heart.  I know this because I often try to exchange this simple truth with something more complicated.  I feel obligated to follow this law or that one, thinking that will get me right with God.  I try to make up for my sin by doing what I consider to be an equal amount of good works in order to get back on God's good side.  I don't feel good enough so I attempt to increase my sense of decency by taking on important ministries.  Along the way, I forgot that I am saved by grace.

Doing things will never get me right with God.  Instead, it is the blood of Jesus that makes me clean, pure and holy in His righteous eyes. (1 John 1:7) When He looks at me, then, He doesn't see my sin, my mess-ups and my failures.  In the place of my sin, all He sees is the perfection of His holy Son.

Therefore, I am free to live in tandem with the God who loves me, knowing that my sin has been paid for.  I need not be weighed down by guilt, shame or regret.  In its place, I can live the life God has meant me to live as I pay attention to His loving Hand which guides me down the path of righteousness.  (Psalm 23:3)

When Jesus earned my salvation through His death on the cross, He made a way to free me from condemnation.  Instead of trying to earn God's favor, then, I must never forget the price Jesus paid to set me free.

Fruit

My friend's tree was producing fruit that was sour and inedible.  She worked hard to fertilize, mulch and water it, hoping the fruit would improve.  Unfortunately, she ended up pulling the tree out and taking it back to the nursery for a refund.  Nothing she did could make this tree produce good fruit.

It's much the same with me.  Once I've accepted Christ as my Savior, I've been given the gift of God's Spirit living inside of me.  When I live in tandem with Him, responding to His promptings and cooperating with His guidance, there will be evidence of His work in my life.  I will notice compassion welling up inside, compelling me to reach out to the hurting all around me.  Where once I only experienced strife and chaos, peace now rules.  Instead of the usual harsh attitude, I will discover a new-found lightness. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Even though I have the benefit of God's indwelling Spirit, I still live in my fleshly body.  Therefore, the Spirit of God is at odds with my natural desires that pull me so strongly away from Him.  When I give in to what my sin nature desires, I will find the old fruit showing up again.  Hatred and bitterness will burn within, giving me a cynical outlook.  My heart will feel discontent, tempting me to look away from God to find satisfaction, maybe to food, men or success as the focus of my lust.  Or I will once again find impatience well up within me as I feel a sense of frustration at those who just can't seem to get their lives together.  (Galatians 5:19-21)

There is one thing of which I can be sure:  I can't have it both ways.  I cannot live by the Spirit and gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  Either I must live for me or live for God.  Either I am my Lord or God is.  Either I win out or God does.  (Galatians 5:16-17)  Whichever I choose, the fruit will make my decision obvious.

When I accepted the free gift of salvation that came through faith in Jesus Christ, I also received God's Spirit who lives within me.  Instead of living according to what pleases me, then, I must let the Holy Spirit guide my life.

I live in a world where exchanges are freely allowed.  If I don't like a product, I am encouraged to take it back and get something different, or if my friends don't meet my emotional needs, I am advised to find new ones.  God, however, does not work this way.  When I entered into a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, I agreed to live His way.  He does not accept exchanges or substitutions.  Therefore, I am expected to offer my life as a living sacrifice as an acceptable form of worship, to accept salvation as a free gift, and to live by the Spirit.  When I attempt to substitute something else, I will find that the Lord is a God who accepts no exchanges.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember the truth as I have learned it and adjust my life accordingly.

How often do I try to adapt the truth to fit my own way of living?

When am I guilty of trying to earn the salvation for which Jesus already paid?