My dear friend Tracy really sees the poetry of life, she seeks after Wisdom and she loves the Lord. I am so glad she shares her heart with us. Won’t you make her feel welcome by posting a comment below?

Hello friend! Quid te occupatum? What are you busy about?

“For He will not dwell unduly on the days of his life,
because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:20).

Can joy take root and blossom in our hearts because of our obedience?  What if we could abide in His work and trials, instead of our own plans? “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

Consider the Old Testament examples, Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron. God mercifully gives them to us as examples of what NOT to do. We, as mere children ourselves, need examples…“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonishment upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor 10:11).  It’s good to remember these lessons as we grapple with our own obedience to Him, versus the lure of the flesh.

Rewind for a moment: Back in Exodus 30, priests were taught the specifics about the sweet incense which was to be offered unto the Lord. In v. 34, we read about the composition of the incense. “And the Lord said to Moses: Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each.“

The Father emphasized, “You shall not offer strange incense on it‘¦”(Ex 30:9).  Seems picky and harsh to us these days.  But His Law was meant to teach them about obedience and holiness…that each person cannot write his own law, make his own way…This people, they had just began to know the LORD and He was teaching them how to follow.  But following was (and still is) harder for some…

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD
Leviticus 10:1-2

Immediately, the same Shekinah which had consumed sacrifice, destroyed the two priests. Why? We know from Exodus 30 that they knew better. God certainly doesn’t instantaneously put to death every being who disobeys.

It appears that Nadab and Abihu substituted a kind of incense different from that which God commanded. We know the LORD is intentional.  Apparently, there was something special about the prescribed incense. For instance, we know that frankincense yields a sweet fragrance after being burned. Possibly it yields a picture of gratitude, for hardship?

Nadab and Abihu offered “strange fire” unto the Lord. This was not a sweet delight to His heart, in light of their deliberate disobedience. Indulge yourself in reading the remainder of Leviticus 10 and you will notice that the destruction of Aaron’s sons provoked immediate obedience in others.

When do WE offer “strange fire” before the Lord?

In the advice we give to others?  Our responses to work and trials?  Difficult relationships?  Returning evil for evil?  Quitting when the going gets tough?  Giving undue thought time to the past?  When someone hurts or offends us, we have the opportunity to delight the heart of God by offering the sweet frankincense fragrance of a loving response. The sweet fragrance is emitted when we are burned yet are able to reflect Christ in our inward and outward response.

We travel 2,000 miles every summer to visit with family and a few friends. I must admit that when people don’t prioritize time to see us, my heart hurts. I feel rejected. And right in that moment of perceived rejection…I have an opportunity to dedicate to my Creator the sweet fragrance of forgiveness for my family. I have failed many times by allowing the hurt to fester and create irritation, insecurity, and disappointment.

I read somewhere that when you subtract the “d” from “disappointment” and add an “H”‘¦ you get His appointment.  Yes. When I am disappointed by the lack of fruit within my plans, I should recall that HIS plans and appointments for me are right on track.  My appointment: a divine opportunity to delight the heart of God! With each excruciating heart wound, we can develop a deeper compassion, clearer understanding, and stronger word of help for others.

God has not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through.
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laden, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

 Annie Johnson Flint 1866-1932

What are you busy about?? Whatever it is: Omne gaudium existimate!! Consider it pure joy‘¦.