When God calls us to service, He will also provide for us as we serve Him in obedience. This is applicable to all who serve Him, whether full-time or in their secular professions. God’s provision is both spiritual and physical: the spiritual provision of strength, wisdom and grace; and the physical provision of our material needs. In the Lord’s prayer, we are taught to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt 6:11). This is a prayer made not out of greed, but out of need in order to serve God. The priests owned neither land nor inheritance. Their inheritance was of the Lord, and God provided for them through the tithes and offerings of the people. In Leviticus 6:24-7:10, God gave further details on the portions of the sin, burnt, trespass and meat offerings allocated to the priests; and we can learn lessons from how God provided for them.

1. The Lord provides faithfully (Lev 6:24-26)

The context here is the sin offering. The sin offering was accompanied by a burnt offering. “The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation” (Lev 6:26), i.e. the priest partook of the offering in the courtyard of the tabernacle, reminding him of God’s faithfulness in providing for him. It also symbolised fellowship with God, reminding him that he was set apart from the world to serve his God.

2. The Lord provides so that we can serve and live holily (Lev 6:27-30)

The provision of the Lord is holy, because the Source of the provision is holy. Even in the partaking of it, the priests must be holy. The sprinkled blood on their garment must be washed away; the earthen vessel must be destroyed and the brazen vessel scrubbed clean. This is a picture of separation: their lives and conduct must be holy. This is the Lord's way of teaching them the seriousness of sin. When they ate of the offerings, the priests must remember that this was a result of the people's sin. When we enjoy God’s provision, we must also remember to live holy lives.

3. The Lord provides justly (Lev 7:1-10)

In Leviticus 7:1-10, the description of the trespass, burnt and meal offerings were given and the Lord gave the specifics of what could be eaten, and who could eat. The provision that the Lord gave corresponded to the service of the priests. There were fairness and justice in how God allocated the offering. In application, our working hard in our service for God must be compelled by our love for God. There must be no comparison or competition in our service for God; and it must

not be for self-glory. God will provide for us justly and faithfully.