Change of Ownership

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.

Numbers 3:5-6

Let me tell you about my first car; I got it from a colleague. He used to give us a ride to the office back in the day and he leaves for work at 6:30am. Although I prefer to leave earlier, I had to submit to the car owner’s decision. About a year later, he wanted to let go of the car and I bought it. After buying the car, the table turned. As the new owner, I now decided the time to leave for work and by my timing departure time became 6am. Guess what? He had to respect that decision; that is the reality of ownership. 

In Numbers 3:11-13, God declares ownership over the Levites, claiming them as his chosen people to serve in the tabernacle. This is significant for us as followers of Christ under the new covenant as well. Just as God claimed ownership of the Levites in the Old Testament, so too does he claim ownership over us as his chosen people under the new covenant. Through the finished work of Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed and set apart as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9).

As God’s chosen people, we no longer have the right to live for ourselves or to pursue our own desires and ambitions apart from His will. We belong to God, and our lives are to be lived in submission to His leading and instructions.

This means that we are called to surrender every aspect of our lives to God—our thoughts, words, actions, and desires. We are to seek his will above our own, trusting in his wisdom and guidance to direct our paths.

Living as God’s chosen people also entails serving his purposes and advancing his kingdom on earth. Just as the Levites were set apart for the service of the tabernacle, so too are we called to serve God wholeheartedly in whatever capacity he calls us to.

Our lives are to be lived as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). We are to offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness, allowing God to work through us to accomplish His will and bring glory to His name.

Let us, therefore, embrace our identity as God’s chosen people and live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received. Let us surrender ourselves fully to God’s ownership, seeking his will and serving his purposes with joy and obedience as we live in this world.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for claiming me as part of your chosen people and for calling me into your family through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Help me to live in submission to your ownership, surrendering every aspect of my life to your will and purposes. Grant me the grace to serve you wholeheartedly and to bring glory to your name in all that I do. May my life be a reflection of your love and grace to the world around me, in Jesus’ name.