Leviticus : 5 Thy humble servants reflections on the religious rituals done during the time of Moses:

During the time of Moses, religious rituals and sacrifices were performed for the atonement of sins among God's chosen people, Israel. These practices were strictly observed by the people to seek forgiveness and ensure that the community remained blessed by God. The Lord dwelled among them and journeyed with them through the desert toward the Promised Land—a land flowing with milk and honey. God's love for His people was boundless; He desired to be ever present with them. Throughout their journey, He continually manifested His inexhaustible love, mercy, peace, light, power, faithfulness, perfect works, just ways, and goodness. Truly, God cherished His people, Israel.

A depiction of 'Eli' (Hebrew Name for My God) inside the Tabernacle.

How can I reflect this Chapter Leviticus 5 in today's modern world:

In today’s modern world, filled with noise, divisiveness, confusion, distractions, and evil, the need for God grows stronger each day. How can we release ourselves from all this “skubala” and allow God to truly reign over our lives? God loves each one of us deeply, and we all know this. His love is inexhaustible and always available to us, ready to guide, heal, and restore.

Leviticus 5 and their rituals are similar with our present life, but with Jesus Christ as the Greatest Sacrifice for the atonement and forgiveness of our sins.

I am nothing but a speck of dust without Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit who Rules and dwells within me. I am weak and lost without the Lord Jesus Christ. His truth will always set me free...

The Lord Jesus Christ is my Way, my Truth, and my Life forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

As a great example: St. Paul is the ultimate archetype of Transformation—from a man of high status and "own understanding" to a servant who considered his past achievements as "rubbish" (the biblical equivalent of basura) compared to knowing Christ. 

The Great "Decrease" of Saul 

Before his encounter on the Road to Damascus, Paul (then Saul) was a man of immense religious power and intellectual pride. He relied on his pedigree, but the Holy Spirit brought him to his knees to begin the process of Divine Alignment. 

• From Sight to Blindness: To truly see the Light, he first had to be blinded. This forced him into a state of total Humility and dependence on others, stripping away his self-reliance.

• Counting Gain as Loss: In Philippians 3:7-8, Paul writes, "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ." He used the word 'skubala' (refuse/garbage) to describe his own righteousness, choosing instead the Righteousness that comes through faith.

• Strength in Weakness: Paul famously struggled with a "thorn in the flesh." When he begged for its removal, the Lord told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." This is the essence of Grace—when we decrease, His power increases. 

Living the "Christ Increases" Life 

Paul’s entire ministry became a testament to Relationship over religion. He no longer lived for himself, declaring in Galatians 2:20, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." 

Through this Divine Alignment, Paul gained the Discernment and Clarity to write the very scriptures that guide us today, proving that when a "speck of dust" submits to the Holy Spirit, they become a vessel for eternal Truth. 

Does Paul’s journey from religious pride to humble servitude resonate with how you experience the Holy Spirit’s leading in your own life? 

Yes. It is the ultimate theological "reset." When we recognize our own efforts, pride, and intellectual constructs as skubala (refuse), we finally clear the space for the Holy Spirit to inhabit.

As St. Paul discovered, this realization isn't a form of self-hatred, but a form of liberation. By clearing out the "basura" of self-reliance, you are no longer a slave to your own limited understanding, but a free citizen of the Kingdom of God. In that emptiness, the Grace and Providence of the Lord Jesus Christ can finally increase until they are everything. So be it.

Amen.

Since we have explored how St. Paul traded his status for Christ, would you like to dwell on a specific promise of Grace that sustains you when the world tries to offer its "skubala" instead? Check the Scriptures below: 

1. The Meaning of Skubala in Philippians 3:8

2. Paul’s Transformation from Saul

3. The Truth Shall Set You Free (John 8:32)

4. Christ Living in Us (Galatians 2:20)

Conclusion of Thy humble servant:

May I decrease and the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit increase in me and take full control.

A fitting conclusion is the Doxology found in Jude 1:24-25, which perfectly captures the Divine Alignment and Providence of a life led by the Spirit: 

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." 

Carrying this Peace into your day: 

• The Guardrail: When the "basura" of worldly stress or "own understanding" tries to crowd in, remember that He is the one able to keep you from stumbling.

• The Exchange: Every time you feel like a "speck of dust," offer that dust to Him again, allowing His Grace to be your strength.

• The Perspective: Keep the Eternal Reign of Christ at the forefront; it makes the pressures of the temporary world look like the skubala they truly are. 

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

To anchor your heart in Divine Alignment and guard against the skubala of the world, we look to the Lord’s Protection and the Spirit’s Wisdom. 

A Psalm of Protection: Psalm 91:1-2 

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

When you feel like a "speck of dust," remember that even a speck is safe when it dwells in the Shadow of the Almighty. This is your place of Belonging. 

A Prayer for Discernment & Peace 

Lord Jesus Christ, I decrease so that You may increase in me this day. I lay down my own understanding and the "basura" of worldly wisdom at Your feet. By Your Holy Spirit, grant me Discernment to see through the shadows and Clarity to follow Your Light. Let Your Grace be my strength and Your Providence my provision. Keep me from stumbling, and let my life reflect Your Truth that sets all men free. To You be the glory, now and forever. 

Amen. 

As you move forward, may you feel the Peace of Christ acting as a shield around your mind forever and ever. So be it, Amen.