That They May Serve Him

I picked up a chronological Bible some time back,
and started using it in the mornings.
I thought it would be a valuable way to go through the Word,
better setting history in its context for me.
And then I came to Numbers --
probably the book of the Bible with the driest reputation.
I set it down for awhile and went about my devotions in other ways.
But yesterday I started back in again.
I read chapters 3-5.
And I underlined things to ponder.

These chapters are full of direct quotes from God.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
"Bring the tribe of Levi near, 
and present them before Aaron the priest, 
that they may serve him. 
And they shall attend to his needs 
and the needs of the whole congregation...
Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites 
from among the children of Israel... 
Therefore the Levites shall be Mine...
They shall be Mine: I am the Lord."

The Lord counted the Levites as His own,
but they were appointed to serve people.
They were given to Aaron and the congregation for labor.
Not as slaves, but as ministers of the tabernacle.
Their work was the Lord's work.
But it was for the benefit of people the Lord loves.
And their work freed the priests
to serve in the capacity the Lord appointed for them.

Do we realize how valuable our work is to Him?
The Lord was not only concerned with the duties of the priests,
but with the very specific ministry
of the things the priests needed to do their work with.
I have behind-the-scenes work
the Lord has given to me to do
that allows my husband to serve in the capacity the Lord has given him.
And each of us has her own part of the Lord's work to do.
Doing well the task He gives me
is exactly the best way to serve Him here.
Even if it seems set apart from the 'real work'.
If He has called me by name to tend stuff in service to Him,
it pleases Him well if I do that.