God called members of the tribe of Levi to serve Him. They didn’t receive land as an inheritance because God was their inheritance. One phrase in the instructions to the Levites stands out to me: they are to stand and minister in the presence of the Lord.
“For the Lord your God has chosen Levi out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time” (Deuteronomy 18:5)
The “name” of the Lord often means the presence of the Lord. It also refers to his character and nature, but here it mainly speaks to being in his presence.
We have an amazing gift of being able to minister to God in his actual presence through the power of the Holy Spirit.
You may think that you aren’t a priest or a Levite, and so the opportunity to minister in the very presence of God may not apply to you. Peter has another thought on the matter.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
By grace, you are part of His royal priesthood. As such, how shall you “stand and minister” to Him? Here are some thoughts.
The Levites didn’t choose the role of priesthood for themselves; God called them to it.
When we think about serving God, it’s important to listen for His voice. I do this by reading the Bible and hearing what God says to me. Then, I repeat it back to Him.
Sometimes it’s in thanksgiving and praise, other times it’s asking for His mercy. This is one way to approach God.
Priests also represent God to others. According to Peter, we should share the excellence of the one who called us out of darkness into his light.
We can always tell our story of how God brought us into life with him. Be ready to share that with others. A priest’s role is to stand before God for the people and stand before the people for God.
This is an opportunity and a privilege we have.
Don’t Imitate a Fallen World
It would be wonderful to have a pure and clean relationship with God, where all we want to do is serve Him and represent Him in the world. Sadly, we live in a culture that often opposes God.
His instructions tell us not only to serve Him as a priest, but also to avoid being influenced by the world around us.
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you must not learn to imitate the abhorrent practices of those nations” (Deuteronomy 18:9).
Human self-centeredness often leads us away from devotion to God. We shouldn’t mimic the world, which chases after idols and tries to manipulate them for personal gain. Instead, we should let God guide our lives and serve Him.
Psalm 1 offers great guidance for this path. The goal of a successful life is highlighted in verse 3. The path to a successful life is provided in verses 1 and 2.
Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked
or take the path that sinners tread
or sit in the seat of scoffers,
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)
To prosper, we shouldn’t follow wicked sinners or scoffers. Instead, we should find joy in what God teaches us about living.
We need to take His teachings to heart and think about them day and night. As we meditate on God’s law and teachings, we also practice them.
This way, instead of focusing on our own desires, we receive God’s guidance and ultimately prosper as He intends.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 