Lean on the Lamb

SCRIPTURE
He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)

OBSERVATION
The "He" in this verse is the regular person bringing his voluntary burnt offering (live) sin offering for sacrifice at the tent of meeting. I always had this idea in my mind that the Priest did all the slaughtering of sacrificial animals and the people just were observers. Apparently, the role of the Priests were to assist. This was an all-in investment on the part of the worshiper. Approaching God cost the worshiper something precious. They got blood all over them. It was messy, smelly and it set the stage for a Once and For All Sacrifice found in Jesus.

I also noticed the part of "lay his hands on the head of..." The Hebrew word for that also means to "lean into" the lamb. That's rich. How often do I "lean into the Lamb - Jesus" and trust that He has totally and completely covered all my sins?

APPLICATION
I know the book of Leviticus is so foreign to us today. We don't practice those rituals or even totally understand the context. But I begin to recognize my casual approach to worship and to my relationship with God standing in stark contrast to what I read about in Leviticus. This is serious. Sin brings death. It cost. The payment is steep. I'm challenged in how serious I take the relationship with God and His church that I have. I admit I've been too casual.

PRAYER
God, reading Leviticus 1 has opened my eyes in a lot of ways. I am thankful that You made a way to approach You. I'm also thankful that I can still lean on You in complete dependence and gratitude. Because of Jesus, Amen