Holy Fire

{Leviticus 10:1-3}

1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 

 2 So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

‘I will display my holiness

through those who come near me.

I will display my glory

before all the people.’”

You arrive at a dinner party, bottle of wine in hand, and your hostess meets you at the door with a scowl. You knew they didn't drink, but chalked it up to conservatism and thought a little loosening up was in order. You didn't know your friend's husband had struggled with a drinking problem for years. You had good intentions, but sometimes good intentions aren't good enough. 

We can't always see the reasons for God's requirements, any more than we can divine the motivations of our friends. Nadab and Abihu might have assumed a good intention would find favor equal to obedience;perhaps God would even reward them for their ingenuity. As high priest, Aaron made the burnt offering decreed by God. Then, perhaps, caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment, Nadab and Abihu offered their own "unauthorized fire." The sacrifice had already been offered. God's glory had appeared. Nadab and Abihu presumptuously tried to add to God's decree for sacrifice. The result? Instant death. Verse 3 takes us to the heart of the matter: The closer we come to God, the more we must honor his holiness by obeying his commands. 

We face numerous opportunities to second-guess God. We justify detours from God's will by believing we're following the spirit of the law in our own creative way. The double-edged sword of ingenuity gets us into trouble. In this age of grace, such an exacting standard may seem harsh. But God's ways are not our ways. His holiness surpasses our comprehension. He is just, while we only seek justice. He has intentions for us that we cannot, with our finite minds, grasp. That's why obedience to God and what his Word tells us is crucial. Obedience shows God we consider him holy and worthy of honor. 

How can you honor God daily? When God says something to you in his Word, take it personally. Reading the passage on honoring your husband/wife or taming the tongue doesn't fulfill your obligation;your actions reflect your heart toward God. Obedience honors God. Disobedience dishonors him. The practice of obedience will align your heart with God's own desire. For "just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16)

-Women's Devotional Bible