Week 3…Brining God Your Fullest Yes.
I recently heard a powerful insight while listening to a podcast on Exodus and the Tabernacle. Did you know that in the instructions for building the Tabernacle, Scripture says, “The Lord spoke to Moses…” seven times? That’s right! Seven distinct moments in Exodus 25–31 where God gives Moses detailed directions, much like you might guide a builder through every choice in constructing a new home down to the colors, materials, and finishes. This repetition isn’t just practical, it’s symbolic. The seven times God speaks to Moses for the creation of the Tabernacle (aka Tent of Meeting) mirror the seven days of creation in Genesis…a deliberate connection! Just as creation ended with Sabbath rest (Genesis 2:2–3), the Tabernacle instructions conclude with a command to rest (Exodus 31:12–17). It’s a divine echo of Genesis woven into the narrative of Exodus.
Even the visual elements reflect Eden. The curtain guarding the Holy of Holies was embroidered with cherubim (Exodus 26:31), just like the cherubim placed at the entrance to Eden after the fall (Genesis 3:24). The Tabernacle served as a portable Eden, a sacred space where God dwells among His people as they journey through the wilderness. Yes, I know this is a recap, but I promise you I’m going somewhere with this.
In Genesis, God created and commissioned humanity to fill the space He created. In Exodus, He gave instructions for a holy dwelling. And in Leviticus, asks THEM to create so He could fill it with His presence (Leviticus 9:23). These books form a continuous story of creation, covenant, and communion. So incredible, isn’t it??! I wanted to begin this week here because the Israelites would have recognized these patterns between Genesis and Exodus unfolding. They didn’t know the full story as we do today, but they knew the Torah, their sacred text, deeply. It was their origin story and their primary source of wisdom, containing the books of Genesis through Numbers. The Torah wasn’t just read privately, it was a living covenant document stored in the Ark of the Covenant and read aloud regularly to the entire community (Deut. 31:10–13). As they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and received the unfolding instructions of Levitical law, they carried only this foundation: stories of creation, covenant, exile, and deliverance.
Imagine being them for a moment. Goodness, what it must have felt like for them…descendants of slaves, wandering in the wilderness, to hear that the holy God of their ancestors wanted to dwell with them!! Not because they had earned it, but because He chose them. With only the Torah to guide their understanding, it must have been overwhelming, humbling, and awe-inspiring. It almost brings me to tears thinking about it because this is God’s character! He is so good, so loving, so thoughtful, so forgiving. And in the heart of it all woven through the origin, the covenant, and the law we now see what they couldn’t yet…it all points to Jesus!
As you read through Leviticus 3, try putting yourself in their shoes and what it must have been like receiving instruction for the peace offering. Remember, these offerings weren’t simply rituals, but part of a new way of life…one where they participated in fellowship with the God who saved them. As Levitical law unfolded, it taught God’s people to honor His holiness and to live in daily dependence on Him. The peace offering, in particular, represented gratitude, fellowship, and a restored relationship with God.
The peace offering wasn’t about guilt or sin. It was a voluntary gift, brought when someone wanted to say, “God, I’m thankful. I want to be close to You. Let’s share this moment together.” It was like showing up to God’s dinner table with something special to offer, kind of like bringing your best yummy dish to a potluck with a friend you love being around. (PS: if you know me well, then you know I love metaphors and visuals!!)
But here’s the detail that might make you pause, well, it made me pause anyway. God asked for very specific parts of the animal: the fat, the kidneys, and the liver. These were the parts that had to be burned on the altar. No one got to eat them. They belonged to God alone.
So… what’s with the fat and organs? This was my question. And what the Holy Spirit showed me hidden in these ancient instructions is something deeply personal and powerful.
The fat represented the BEST.
In ancient times, fat wasn’t something to avoid, it was considered the richest, most valuable part of the meat. It added flavor, fullness, and added crucial nutrients and energy to their diet. Giving the fat to God was a way of saying, “You get the best. You get the richest part of me.” Historically, animal fat had many uses beyond food. In Egypt it was mixed with resins, oils, and spices to create aromatic cones worn on the head (often seen in hieroglyphics) and designed to melt and release fragrance over time. Some mixtures, including fat and myrrh, were even used as early forms of sunscreen.
Since the Israelites lived as slaves in Egypt for hundreds of years, they would have been very familiar with the many uses and cultural value of fat. So when God instructed them to give the fat portions to Him, they would have understood the significance: He was being given the very best. (read about the aromatic cones here)
The Organs represented the Deepest Parts
Back in 2017, God opened the door for me to study emotional release as a form of therapy, and by 2019, I began offering emotional release sessions from my home. Through my training, I not only learned how to identify and understand emotions, but I also learned how unprocessed emotional pain can deeply affect the body, down to the cellular and even genetic level. Science now confirms what Scripture has long shown us: that our bodies, minds, and spirits are deeply connected. When we carry emotional wounds without healing, it creates imbalance, stress, and often physical illness. But when we invite the Holy Spirit into those wounded places, and allow the release of stored pain, God can bring healing and restoration that reaches far beyond the surface. Emotional healing isn’t just therapeutic, it’s part of the abundant life Jesus came to give us (John 10:10).
Interestingly enough, the kidneys and liver were seen as the center of emotion, thought, and conscience, basically, the deep, internal parts of a person (This is reflected in the occasional translation of the Hebrew words for liver and kidneys as "heart," "spirit," or "inmost being" in some Bible verses, like Psalm 73:21). Offering the liver and kidneys symbolized giving God not just your outward worship but your inward life too…your thoughts, motives, feelings, and desires. In fact, scientific data has shown emotional trauma can affect specific organs. *For example, prolonged anger weakens the liver and prolonged stress and fear negatively impact the kidneys. Crazy, right?
But also, pretty beautiful.
If you’re like me, you may have wondered why the priest, or the person bringing the offering, had to lay a hand on the animal’s head before it was sacrificed. At first glance, it seems like a small detail, but it carried deep meaning. According to Scripture, this act was a physical symbol of identification and transfer. The person was essentially saying, “this animal now stands in my place.” In offerings related to sin or guilt, it represented the transfer of guilt from the person to the animal, which would then be sacrificed on their behalf.
This was a powerful picture of substitution, pointing ahead to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who took our sin upon Himself (see Isaiah 53:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:21).
And, you know the drill: if there was one word I would use to describe Leviticus 3, it would be “fellowship”. The peace offering wasn’t about fixing something. It was about relationship. Being near God. Sharing a sacred moment where you say, “Here’s my heart, here’s my gratitude, here’s the best I have, here’s my inner world, here’s my deep thoughts, here’s my stress my anger, my fears, here’s every single piece of me, Lord, I just want to be close to You. So just take all this “stuff” and let your peace fill me.”
Centuries later, the ultimate peace offering would walk among us, literally, not a sacrifice brought to the altar, but a Savior who became the sacrifice. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, fulfilled what the peace offering could only foreshadow. Through Him, peace isn’t just a ritual, it’s a person. And that, my friends, gives me goosebumps.
So as we come before Him today, choose to give from the fullest part of yourself…because the best is His, and today your worship is simply bringing God your fullest YES. I don’t know about you, but typically when I say “YES” to what He’s asking or where He’s calling me, PEACE follows.
REFLECTION:
Ask yourself: Am I offering God my first and best: my time, my attention, my whole heart…or am I settling for giving Him what’s left over? Have I truly made space in my life to welcome His peace and fellowship, or have I filled that space with distractions, fear, anger, stress, or self reliance, leaving only a small corner for Him to fill?
Further reflection: What area of my life do I need to simply bring my “YES” to Him?
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to offer You my first and best: my time, my attention, and my whole heart. Forgive me for the times I’ve given You only what’s leftover. Teach me to clear away distractions, or what brings me stress, so that I can make real space for Your peace and fellowship to fill my life. Amen.