Pioneer Operating Budget
The Price of Life
Numbers 8:17 “Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.”
We worship God with our resources because He has preserved our lives. We all remember Joseph and Mary bringing baby Jesus to the temple 33 days after his birth. This event is known as the dedication of Jesus and has inspired many Christians. The origin of this practice goes back to the time that the Israelites left Egypt. During the 10th plague, the firstborn of the Egyptian was killed whereas God protected the Israelite firstborn.
As a sign of remembrance, every parent in Israel would consecrate their firstborn son to the Lord and make the corresponding offerings. Depending on the family’s wealth it was either a one-year-old lamb or two turtledoves, offered in appreciation and for the consecration of a spared life.
God is still sparing lives today.
Eric was a young man when he realized how God spared his life. His summer job was to clean some large windowpanes of a three-story building. He had to step out of each room and stood on a 12-centimeter edge to clean the outside surface of the fixed middle panel of each window. There was no security gear, only holding tight the frame with one hand while working with the other. One day, while he was working outside of a room on the third floor, a violent wind closed the window on his hand that was holding the frame.
As a reflex reaction, he opened his grip. For some few seconds, he was standing still, hands free, 20 meters above the ground with no security. Miraculously, Eric came back to himself and managed to take hold of the frame with his injured hand. God had preserved his life and he chose to fully consecrate himself serving His Protector. After going through a pandemic we have many reasons to be thankful. This week as we worship with our tithe and regular offerings let us show appreciation to our Protector.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
