Last night was our regular 5th Wednesday singing at Phillips Street; and as voices blended in glory to God, I was reminded of a basic Bible fact that gives me great comfort: God doesn’t care how well I can sing! No, really He doesn’t. I know that might sound strange in a religious culture that thrives on entertainment quality music in worship services, but God could care less how well we sing. How do I know? I’m glad you asked.
Three times in Exodus 29 Moses commanded the people to make animal sacrifices to God. The first was of a bull, the second was a ram, and the third was a reference to a continual burnt offering. Notice, though, in each of the three verses a common phrase:
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Exodus 29:18 – “And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
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Exodus 29:25 – “And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor before the Lord: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
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Exodus 29:41 – “And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
Now how would those sacrifices really smell? To the human nose they would have stunk terribly. That is especially true when you read further and find that while many of the offerings were of the whole animal, many included only the entrails. The odor that would have been emanating from the tabernacle would have been overwhelming. But what was the common phrase in each of the above verses? These offerings were a “sweet savor” to the Lord. Meaning that even when it stank, it smelled good to God. Why? Because He was pleased with the worshippers’ hearts.
As Christians we, too, are priests offering sacrifices to God (1 Peter 2:9). Only the sacrifices we make are not of flesh and blood, but of heart and soul. The Jews’ sacrifices constituted their worship to God and it is fair to say that Christian worship (including singing praises to God) is part of our sacrificial offering. But I find comfort in knowing that just as God did not judge the odor of those animals that He is not judging the quality of my voice. What matters to God is what’s on the inside (John 4:24). Thus showing us that even when it stinks it smells good to God!