“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.” – Leviticus 10:1 KJV

Anytime that I find myself feeling a disconnect between me and God – consumed with irritability, impatience, frustration – just feeling out of sorts, I think about my own strange fire. The unchecked envy and bitterness, seeds of comparison taking root, unforgiveness shoved to the furthest corner of my heart, the hurried prayers, quiet time interrupted with the urge to check personal email/social media or respond to that text that I forgot about, or the incomplete assignments He has tasked me with. None of theses being laid down at the altar, instead they contaminate my worship – sending a strange fire.

When Nadab and Abihu were under the watch of their father, they followed the sacrificial instructions exactly as they were given by God which He welcomed as a pleasing aroma. But when left to their own devices and thoughts, Nadab and Abihu broke protocol choosing instead to worship their own way…emitting a strange fire. They had done it before and saw God’s glory – so why do it their way? Were they too lazy to start the fire the right way? Was the wood supply too low? Or out of the way? Did they offer the sacrifice as a way of keeping up with ritual? As I thought about the possibilities, I think of the things that have been evident in my own worship at one time or another – my will, routine, worry, bitterness, pride, unforgiveness, lust, self-righteousness, the list could go on – all strange fire.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1 NIV

We must offer God our whole selves- laying at the altar our thinking, wills, emotions, attitudes, unbelief, unforgiveness, and self-righteousness to offer a sweet, pleasing and acceptable aroma to our Lord.

“Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God.” – Hebrews 9:14 MSG