More Salt, Please!

Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings” (Lev. 2:13 — NIV).

I’m not one to enjoy really salty foods, and I try not to overuse salt when I cook because I figure it can always be added later should more be desired.

Hence, many batches of mashed potatoes have been deemed bland, 

And the salt shaker’s always close at hand!

I find it interesting that, according to Levitical law, God required salt. In fact, to omit it was disobedience.

Wow!

The grain offerings that the Israelites presented to the LORD were to be seasoned with salt. But why?

Upon further study, I found some reasons. Salt was…

1) used in some ancient cultures to ratify (make officially valid) contracts;

2) valued as a sign of friendship;

3) used as a preservative.

Thus, God required salt to be added to the grain offerings as a sign of a binding contract — His covenant. And He did so to remind the Israelites of His enduring love for them — constant and unchanging despite their willfulness and their often wavering obedience.

He asked them to add salt to their grain offerings as a sign of lasting friendship.

Yes — His covenant of grace.

And through Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s covenant — Grace-In-Flesh — we are promised preservation for eternity with Him in Heaven. Not in these imperfect bodies, but in perfect newness — raised up with Christ.

Yet, while we live our lives here on this earth, we are called to be salt — offering the enduring message of Grace through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13a — NIV).

So — Yes…

More salt, please!

Are you living a ‘salty‘ life — exemplifying God’s grace? Perhaps we each need to pray — asking God to “Please pass the salt!”

Maureen