Hey everyone, welcome back to the Christians on College Campuses podcast. My name is Hunter Carr and I am a graduate of Cameron University. It's so good to be back and spend some time with you guys in God's Word. Today we're looking at Exodus chapter 30. At first, this chapter might seem like it's a list of instructions, but if you look a little deeper, we see one of the most important truths. God desires a relationship with his people, not just religious routines. And this chapter begins with the altar of incense. In verses seven through eight, Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it. He must burn it in every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. Now white incense Throughout the Bible, incense represents the prayers of God's people. David said in Psalms, May my prayer be set before you as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering. I love that connection because it reminds us that prayer isn't something we should only do when life falls apart. Prayer should be how we stay connected with God every day. And as college students and young adults, it's easy to get caught up in school, work, sports, relationships, even social media. We get so busy that prayer becomes an afterthought or when needed. But God wants our relationship with Him to be a daily priority. And later in this chapter we see God telling Moses that every Israelite must give the same offering. In verse 15, the rich may not give more than the poor, may not give less than half a shekel when giving that contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives. What stands out to me is that everyone gave the same amount. Why? Because everyone has equal value before God. Your worth isn't based on how much money you have, how many followers you have on social media, your GPA, or even whether people even know your name. Your worth comes from the fact that you were created by God, which is a great reminder in Galatians 328 where it says there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, since you are all one in Christ Jesus. Every one of us matters to God. Then when we come to this part where it talks about the bronze basin, Basin Basin. Before the priests entered God's presence, they washed their hands and feet. This wasn't just about being physically clean, it pointed to having a heart that was ready to worship God. And another reminder in James 4A, it says, Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. God isn't just asking us to be perfect. He's asking us to come to Him with humble and repentant hearts. And the last part of this chapter talks about the holy anointing oil and the sacred incense. These things were set apart for God. They weren't ordinary because they were created for a holy purpose. As I read that, I couldn't help but think about us. As followers and of Jesus and just believers, we're called to be set apart too. Not because we're better than anyone else, but because we've been called to live differently. And in Romans twelve two it even says, Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. The world tells us to fit in. Jesus calls us to stand out, not by judging people, not by pretending we're perfect, but by loving others, serving others, and living lives that reflect Christ. So as we wrap up, I want to leave you with three simple reminders. First, make a prayer your daily habit. Don't wait until life gets difficult before talking to God. Second, remember where your identity comes from. Because your value isn't found in your success or popularity, it's found in Christ. And lastly, live a life that's set apart. When people look at your life, they should see someone who follows Jesus, someone that is different than the rest. Not because of what you say, but because of how you live. And is it something you only turn to when you need help? Or is this something you're growing with with every single day? And remember, God isn't looking for perfect people, He's looking for hearts that are fully devoted to Him. Alright, let's pray. Father, we just thank you for your word and for reminding us that you desire a relationship with us. Help us make prayer a daily part of our lives. Remind us that our identity is found in you and not in what the world says about us. Lord, we just pray that you help us live lives that are just set apart and reflect all of you everywhere we go. And just give us the courage to honor you on our campuses and our workplaces and every part of our lives. We love you, and we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
