Day 54

Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12

AS WE’VE MOVED through the Mosaic law in the book of Leviticus, we’ve realized that it involved much more than surface rituals and behaviors. While there were practical reasons for the instructions God instituted, His commands also spoke to the condition of the heart. Everything was attached to something else. Our physical and spiritual existences are not mutually exclusive.

We must remember this as we consider mold and mildew from today’s reading. No one wants mold in their home, and the instructions for removal in Leviticus have practical value. But what about spiritual mold? What kind of mold have we allowed to grow in the dark corners of our minds? What mold is thriving in the basements of our hearts, spidering its way up the walls? Ignoring sin allows it to spread, and the more it spreads, the more damage it inflicts and the harder it is to remove. If mold has spread throughout our physical home, walls may need to come down, rooms may need to be gutted, and reconstruction may need to take place. We must consider these implications spiritually. Thankfully, we have a great High Priest to come and inspect those dark, dank corners.

If we want to live a life set apart and holy —as God was asking His chosen people to do in Leviticus —then perhaps it’s time to invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the places that need attention. Sometimes the radical overhaul of a life begins in the nooks and crannies of the heart.

MEDITATION:

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.