Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD. And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the LORD with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
– Leviticus 23:9-14
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
Devotion
The people of Israel were to obtain land through the promise given to Abraham by God. They are reminded in Leviticus 23 that when this promise is fulfilled, they are to offer the firstfruits of the harvest back to the Lord. They would do this by taking the first of the harvested produce, and offer it to the LORD as thanks for his provision. This portion was to be the first and the best of what was harvested, and rest of the harvest could not be eaten until this offering was made. It was a continual reminder that the harvest had come as a result of God’s provision and blessing.
Likewise, Paul reminds us that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, are also chosen as firstfruits. We have been loved, chosen, saved, sanctified by the Spirit, and called to obtain the glory of Jesus Christ. We should continually live with the understanding that we have been obtained by God as the firstfruits of his harvest – the best portion, chosen, devoted to God, and offered up to him.
The Big Question
Does your life reflect what a true firstfruit to the Lord should? Are you devoted to God, giving of your best to him, living in light of being chosen and living as an example to others?
Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.