Not just Protocol!

Based on Numbers 29-30, Psalm 36

Everything seemed to be in place for the Israelites. The system was set up to work. Every day had a task, every feast time had special reasoning & special procedures. But even in following these things "to a T," the heart to heart relationship with God cannot be lost in translation, or lost in the process. It's not just protocol!

"These things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings. And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Lord commanded Moses." Numbers 29:39‭-‬40. Yes, there were specific procedures to follow. There were and are commandments today. But we also have hearts, and so does God! It's a heartfelt passion behind the protocol that really counts! In the Scripture above, it states that all these sacrifices were to be done BESIDE your vows & offerings! There is a difference between doing something by choice & doing something from habit, and that's one lesson we can take with us from the Israelites. Sometimes, it's hard to get it right, but that's why we need to keep reminding ourselves that even God's commandments are given out of love!

"And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish:" Numbers 29:7‭-‬8. Their offering should be without blemish, just like our hearts! If we have an angry heart with a misunderstanding of the reasoning behind our sacrifice, then we've missed the point entirely! We can't just follow protocol! We have to love what we do!

"These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house." Numbers 30:16. Chapter 30 speaks of the types of vows made unto The Lord, whether it be from a man or woman. Vows were voluntary! They were a special sacrifice & representation of where the heart is at! Again, it's not just protocol-it's a choice! Yes, there was certain order to the proceedings, but anyone was able to make a vow if they desired!

"If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." Numbers 30:2. He has to choose to bind himself to it!

"But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her." Numbers 30:5. "And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand." Numbers 30:6-7.

A woman was most definitely able to make a vow as well, but to keep order, there was an ordained structure of authority to go through. Either way, this process was something God was pleased with because it was a choice!

"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalms 36:7. We must trust in The Lord, and of course ne under His authority! We must follow protocol, but our hearts need to be in it! Where are our hearts today? Are they floating away after things that don't fulfill or satisfy us? Or are they hearts after God's own heart, which always fulfills & satisfies? Keep God on the forefront of your mind...and heart!