When is the last time you took inventory? To take inventory, is to make note of what you have versus what you are lacking. I am not suggesting that you take inventory of your material possessions and financial wealth. However, I am encouraging you to take spiritual inventory of what God requires of you versus what you are giving to Him. Oftentimes, we go through life giving God what we want of ourselves (and believe that He should be pleased). We never consider what the Bible requires of us in each area of life.
In the Old Testament, we are told about Nadab and Abihu. They were sons of the newly anointed High Priest Aaron. They were consecrated to serve the Lord in His tabernacle and offer sacrifices on behalf of the Israelites. However, in Leviticus 10:1-3, they decided to present the Lord what they wanted Him to have.
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace.
I know that we are no longer under the Law and I am not suggesting that we will be devoured with fire. However, God considered what they offered to be profane. Webster’s Dictionary defines profane as debasing what is sacred: blasphemous, irreverent, or vulgar. We should consider what we are offering of ourselves to God. In 1 Peter 2:9, we are told, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Are you coming to Him in a manner that shows you regard Him as holy? Are you presenting yourself to Him that is in accordance with what He says about you as a believer? Are other people able to glorify Him because of what they see in your life?
In the areas that we fall short, we are blessed that we can come to God and ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). We also have the Holy Spirit to help us become more of what God requires of us (John 14:16). As His beloved child, what do you need to change in order to present yourself to God so that you are pleasing to Him? Take inventory!
For more on spiritual inventory, read Successful Sufferer Part IV: Check Your Theology.
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Copyright 2020 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
