I subsribe to the “Grow. Pray. Study.” Guide from FUMC Mansfield. Today I would like to share the devotional for today. I hope it blesses you like it has for me.
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 16:20-22
20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.
Read additional translations at Biblegateway.com or youversion.com
Reflection Questions
Today’s reading is a portion of the instructions given by God to Aaron and the priests for Yom Kippur, also known as the day of Atonement. This annual holy day was set aside as a time for the Israelites to confess and experience absolution for their sins. The verses for today describe the process by which the sins of the nation were symbolically passed to the “scapegoat” who carried them away.
- The church continues to practice “rituals” today whose meaning and value is derived from what they symbolize for us. In Holy Communion, we believe that the bread and juice shared and received is a powerful reminder of the depth of God’s love and sacrifice on our behalf. For the ancient Israelites, what did this ritual help them understand?
- What do you think God wanted them to see? What does this reveal to you about God’s grace?
Weekly Prayer
Lord, I confess to you that sometimes I choose to believe the story of guilt rather than the story of amazing grace. I find it easier to forgive others than I do myself. I fall back into the false notion that your love can be earned, your favor can be gained and that salvation can be acquired outside of your grace. Remind me, Lord, that your love is real, that grace truly is amazing and that I am your beloved child, forgiven and set free only because of your grace. AMEN.