GOD! I AM A PRIEST!

GOD! I AM A PRIEST!

Suppose you were back in the Old Testament times. Given a choice, which tribe of Israel would you want to belong to? Here's a hint. Of all the twelve tribes, only one is not allowed to own land and properties because it's been set apart and dedicated to only serve God. Born a Levite your career path is already drawn up for you!

While this particular job may or may not be the choice of the majority, the truth of the matter is, the entire welfare of Israel depended on the spiritual welfare of the Israelite. If Israel remains faithful to God and  observe all the ordinances of God, the windows of heaven will remain open and God will continue to pour out His blessings and be their shield. But if they were to turn away from God, then God will turn them over to their enemies. To keep Israel from straying off its path, this is where the tribe of Levi matter.

Coming back to the New Testament and to the present, the apostle Paul wrote; a body is made up of many different parts. Suppose you are to choose, which part of the body would you want to be? The eye? Nose? Right hand? Hair? Ear? How about the little pinky toes? I am sure majority would want to be the eye ... way up there to be seen and admired (ooohh those eyes!) or the hair (ooohh those groovy hair!). I don't remember anyone commenting ... ooohh those gorgeous toes. But truth be told, though way down at the bottom and kept "hidden" most of the day, the toes are a rather important part of the body. Without them we will walk funny. Every member of the body is important and necessary to remain wholesome and healthy.

Back to the Old testament. The role of the Levites are utmost important. But their jobs are not necessarily pleasant. Imagine having to daily slaughter animals for sacrifice, cleaning up the blood after! This is a gruesome and dirty job but someone had to do it. Then there's this packing and unpacking of the Tabernacle on the move and being in the front line of the battle fields. The job may not seem glamorous but it's the life line of Israel. God took care of the Levites. They were God's special possession! In today's context, all of us are Levites. 

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9).

While we are spared from animal sacrifices, nevertheless our jobs are not easy either. As God's royal priesthood, we have the responsibility of inviting friends and co workers to church, greeting people, praying and encouraging others, helping and serving the next generation in children's ministries. In God's eyes we are His priesthood. Like the Levites, we have a sworn duty towards God and towards the welfare of His church. We have responsibilities. We are called to serve, not to be served. We are called to minister, not seeking to be ministered. Sadly, in today's context, church members seek to be ministered to instead of ministering to others. They come to receive, not to give. They have forgotten they are the royal priesthood of God.

The apostle Paul started his ministry as a tent maker. He worked to support himself in the ministry. You and I, we are the royal priesthood of God. We all are priests. Don't matter if you are an electrician or an accountant, a doctor, a waiter, an engineer, a full time house wife, etc. Like apostle Paul, we work to sustain ourselves in the ministry. You may be a waiter. Serving tables is what you do to sustain your priesthood. As an accountant you crunch the numbers to sustain your priesthood. Everything you do you do to sustain your priesthood. In the eyes of God you are but a priest. What do a priest do? He ministers. The priest don't come to the temple to be blessed. He come into the temple to bless. Over two thousand years ago, Jesus the high Priest came NOT to be ministered to but to minister. He came not to be served but to serve, to do the will of His Father. He has set the example. We are to emulate Him and do our part.

Being born again we (like the Levites) were born into a family of priesthood. That's our identity. That's who we are. May not be what we have asked for but that's our portion, our calling. We must not deny ourselves. We cannot be a fish out of water. God saved us, called us and gave us a purpose. Regardless of who we are or what we aspire to be, we are .. "His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 

Doing our part and fulfilling our priestly ministry, we are in fact ministering to God. Someday we will be in "Canaan land". Till then, let's keep the church going strong and healthy. The path before us may not be easy. But together as one body we will make the difference.