Day 601: Leviticus 12- Rich In Love

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.
6 “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, 7 and he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Meditation
Jesus became poor to make you rich in love. Paul discusses “genuine love” by describing the work of Jesus this way: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:8-9). God’s grace is what we are saturated in, to become rich in God’s love.
 
Jesus was poor. Shortly after his birth Mary went to the temple to offer a sacrifice “according to the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons” (Luke 2:22-24). Today’s chapter on purification procedures after childbirth is the Old Testament background informing us that this offering is a provision for a poor family who could not afford a lamb for sacrifice (8). Jesus was born into poverty to make people born again rich in love.
 
Jesus had no place to rest His head during His ministry (Matthew 8:20). Jesus preached from borrowed boats, multiplied borrowed food, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed colt, washed the disciples feet with a borrowed towel, and was buried in a borrowed tomb.
 
By faith we more than borrow Christ’s righteousness and are adopted as children, freely given God’s Spirit to receive God’s eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:11-14). God’s inheritance is His eternal riches for all who believe! Children adopted into His family through the work of Christ. In God’s family we are rich in love!
 
Richly Dwelling
-What surprises you about the poverty of Jesus?
 
-How does acknowledging our own poverty of righteousness give us faith to receive Christ’s righteousness?
 
-Have you received the riches of God’s unconditional love in Christ? Why or why not? Jesus became poor to make you rich in love. Open your hands and hearts to receive His eternal blessings!
 
Key Verse
8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”