God of Holy Provision

The Levites were God's special people, even among His special people. He chose them out of all Israel to care for His dwelling place and to assist the priests, bringing offerings before the Lord and ensuring that the unclean things stay outside of the Tabernacle. Because of this special assignment, the Lord did not give the Levites an inheritance of property in the Promised Land. 

But He did give them something. 

He gave them a portion of almost every offering that was ever brought into the holy place. He gave them a cut of the meat, a measure of the grain, a cup of the wine. He gave them a tenth of the tenth, a tithe of their own. He called them to do a holy work, and He provided for them as they did it so that they wouldn't have to worry about the things that other persons had to worry about. 

What's so cool about the provision that God made for the Levites is that it came out of the offering that Israel made to Him. The portion that God gives the Levites is His own portion. At least, part of it. 

Sometimes, I think we set our eyes too horizontally. We're always looking around us for the things that God is going to do, for the ways He's going to provide. When we talk about the Levites, we even talk about the cities and the fields that He gave them, as though that was the big thing He was doing. 

But more often than not, what God gives us isn't something we can see with our eyes on the horizon; we have to look up. God gives us a portion of Himself, something absolutely holy. He gives us His love, His peace, His patience, His kindness. He gives to us His steadfastness, His mercy, His grace. He gives us His glory - at least, part of it - and you know what? That's what sustains us. That's what enables us to live. 

Yes, the Levites got fields. Yes, they got a few cities in the middle of their brothers' lands. But if that's all you think God gave them, you're missing the bigger picture. 

He gave them a cut of the holy portion, a tenth of His tenth, a tithe of their own. He provided for them out of His own provision. 

He does the same for us.