Cody Perrin

Are we more consumed by our sin or by the greatness of our redeemer? While the greatness of our redeemer is enhanced by the depravity of our sin, I still find that I struggle with focusing on what is wrong with me more than what is right with God. In Exodus 12, God through Moses told the people to brush the blood of a lamb on the their doorposts so that God would passover them when the other firstborns were being killed. The death of the firstborn signifies a just punishment for our sin. The blood of the lamb signifies an undeserved, unmerited grace. In Exodus 12:7-13, God gives specific instructions for how to eat and cook the lamb. 

• You shall divide the lamb between the household 
• The lamb shall be unblemished and male
• You shall keep it until the fourteenth day and kill it at twilight
• You shall take the blood and put it on the doorposts
• You shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire
• Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in hot water but roasted on fire
• You shall eat all of it, head and legs and entrails
• If you have any left overs you shall burn it for there shall be none left over in the morning
• Do not go outside

These are a lot of instructions. What sticks out the most is to eat all of it, head, legs and entrails. Their night was to be utterly consumed by this meal, while God dealt with sin outside their door. Two questions arise:

1. Are we consuming the whole of the sacrifice? Or or we only partaking of some of it. This can entail many things. Is the sacrifice not good enough? Do we feel as if we need to provide more to the sacrifice? Are we more concerned with what is happening outside than we are of the sacrifice? This leads into the second question:

2. Are we outside the house or inside? Even if not physically, are our hearts more concerned and enthralled by the death going on outside? Or are we more grateful for the redemption that is found inside? God directly commanding that the Israelites almost become more consumed by the preparation and eating of the lamb than on the events happening outside. There was so much work to be done that it almost seems as if God not only was passing over their houses, but that God wanted the Israelites to actually passover what was happening to them. Almost as if God was saying, “Don’t look outside, look what is before you. I have brought you inside of my love and sovereignty for a reason, meaning you are not outside for a reason. Inside of me their is life, outside of me there is a death because you are relying on yourself. Consume me, don’t just get some of it, take it all in. The more you are able to take in the more that you are able to let me passover your iniquities. And since I pass over them, you need to also.” I want to be more overwhelmed by what is right about God rather than what is wrong with me (while not giving into sin that grace me increase).