Happy Sabbath, friends! In honor of it being Thanksgiving this past week, we are going to delve into what it means to be content with the things around us – especially during seasons of hardship. It can be extremely difficult to be grateful when we are consumed by darkness, but the Lord constantly reminds us to keep our eyes on Him – no matter what.

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
— Psalms 16:8 NIV

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
— Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

In full honesty, I have felt the enemy attack me plenty this past month – he has not been happy that I publicly recommitted my life to Christ, I can tell you that much. Even though I have been attacked and brought down physically, emotionally, and spiritually lately, the Lord has not given up on me. Even in your darkest moments, the Lord still shines His light upon you – we just need to choose whether to stay in the darkness or walk toward the light.

“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
— Psalms 18:28 NIV

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
— 1 John 1:5-7 NIV

This past week, I was doing my morning devotional. I have mentioned in previous posts that I am reading a chapter a day; currently, I am reading through the book of Leviticus. It was a huge blessing because on Thanksgiving Day, I asked the Lord to speak to me through His Word – and on that day, I was reading Leviticus 3. It was such a beautiful moment with the Lord because I heard Him speaking to me through the words written in His Word. Come to find out, Leviticus 3 has a lot to do with the aspect of thanksgiving.

Leviticus 3 is titled “The Fellowship Offering”, which can also be translated as “the peace offering” or even “thanksgiving offering”. Let us delve into this Scripture to see how it relates to giving thanks:

“‘If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect. You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
“‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the Lord, lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord.
“‘If your offering is a goat, you are to present it before the Lord, lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.
“‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.’”
— Leviticus 3:1-17 NIV

This passage has a lot to do with the concept of sacrifice. You may be reading it and thinking, “this is all just old Jewish customs; it doesn’t relate to my life today” – but let’s look deeper at what the Lord is trying to convey.

Key Takeaways from Leviticus 3:

1. God invites His people into fellowship.
   The peace offering wasn’t about sin – it was about communion. It symbolized closeness, gratitude, and shared peace with God. God desires relationship, not just rule-keeping.
2. The offering was to be given freely.
   The peace offering was voluntary. People brought it out of thankfulness, joy, or a desire to draw close. God values a willing heart more than ritual.
3. The best parts belonged to God.
   The fat and certain organs were placed on the altar because they represented richness and life. It reflects giving God the “best portions” of ourselves – our devotion, choices, and love.
4. There were standards for holiness.
   The offering had to be without defect and handled carefully. Approaching God is sacred but possible when done according to His way.
5. Peace with God is shared.
   Unlike other offerings, the worshiper, priests, and God all shared in the peace offering. It pointed toward community, unity, and thanksgiving. Today, it echoes how Christ brings us into fellowship with God and one another.

While “The Fellowship Offering” may seem like old Jewish customs in a literal sense, it also has a deeper, metaphorical meaning. It reminds us that we can bring our thanks to our Heavenly Father – not only individually but also in community, with family, friends, and loved ones. This is the heart of thanksgiving: a relationship with the Lord expressed through gratitude, love, and unity.

Ellen White also highlights this truth:

“The peace offerings were especially an expression of thanksgiving to God… In these offerings the greater part was returned to the offerer, to be eaten by him and his friends in a sacrificial feast. Thus all hearts were to be directed, in gratitude and faith, to the great Sacrifice that was to take away the sin of the world.”
— Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 352

Even in moments when we feel distant from the Lord or consumed by darkness, it is never too late to return to Him. Let the Lord renew your heart and mind. Give thanks for His abundant and everlasting love – even when we feel unworthy. In His eyes, we are deserving, especially when we choose to submit or resubmit our hearts to Him.

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
— Joel 2:12-13 NIV

Amen.

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References

White, E. G. (1890). Patriarchs and prophets (p. 352). Pacific Press Publishing Association.