In Leviticus 8, we find Moses offering up the sacrifices for Aaron and his sons who were to serve as priests before God for the people of Israel.
It is interesting to me to note that the offering of consecration was called a Wave offering. At one point during the ceremony, Moses takes the parts of the ram that were for the sacrifice and waves them before the Lord.
It's as if he were saying, "Look, God! Here is the sacrifice You have requested!"
After these parts are burned in sacrifice before God, he then holds up the breast of the ram, and waves that before God as well.
The breast of the ram was Moses' part of the sacrifice.
For you and I, we have no physical sacrifice to wave before God.
Our sacrifice was offered up on the cross of Calvary in the person of Jesus Christ. He paid the price of our sin – past, present and future.
We have nothing to offer of ourselves that could atone for sin.
We have no works to fill our hands and hold up to God and say, "See God! This is my offering!"
Nothing.
All we have to wave before God are empty hands.
What's in your hands today?
Are they full of all kinds of service and good intentions? Are you waving them around to God, saying "Look, God! This is what I'm bringing to you!"?
It isn't enough. No amount of offering in your hands is enough to pay the price of your forgiveness.
Until we come to God, with our hands completely empty, we cannot know His salvation.
Rock of Ages
Augustus M. Toplady, 1776Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Empty your hands of all that you are trying to offer God.
Come to Him, claiming nothing but His blood shed on Calvary as the sacrifice for your sins.
There is a wonderful hope found in forgiveness and salvation!
Obtaining Mercy 