Scripture: Leviticus 17
Observation: Verses 8-9
‘Any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 9 and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man also shall be cut off from his people.
These verses indicate that sacrifices must be brought to the right place, or else they are unacceptable to God. The first several chapters of Leviticus explained the kinds of animals that are acceptable, the priests who are acceptable, and the methods that are acceptable, but the location is also important. An acceptable sacrifice done in the wrong place is not acceptable at all.
If it is not done at the doorway of the tent of meeting (This is the place the altar was located) then it is considered to be idolatrous. Not only is it unacceptable to God, it is actually directly against him.
Application
I need to make sure I am serving God for his glory, not my own. It is possible to serve God for my own purposes, and give him no glory at all.
Jesus says there will be people in the last days who do miracles in his name, but who never actually submit themselves to him. This would be an equivalent to making sacrifices in the wrong place. Either I am at the cross (The right place) doing all my kingdom work and sacrifices under it, or I am someplace else, doing things for my own kingdom. I want to be in the right place, and I want him to be pleased with my work and my sacrifice. I do not want to "serve God" in a place or in a manner that gives me the glory. I want it to be about him.
"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’" -- Matthew 7:21-23
Prayer
Jesus forgive me for trying to serve you on my own terms in my own place. Bring me closer and closer to you, so all I say, do and think will be done in right relation to you, only.
Jesus
Jesus is the sacrifice, not me. Jesus is the one who makes me acceptable to God, not me. Jesus is the one who fulfills all of God's glory. My life only gives God glory wen it is lived through Christ.