From the Altar.

Red blood draining into a bronze bowl. Death present, death required. Sacrifices given, one Sacrifice paid for all of humanity. God always gives more in return than what I could ever offer.

The peace offering, SHELEM, offering of completion-- always comes last.  The peace offering, a voluntary act of worship, an offering of pure thanksgiving. It is heaved before the Lord, lifted up on outstretched arms, just as the Son of God was lifted up to God and then brought back among us. So SHELEM is brought back down. It is brought to our lips, and He sups with us. This offering, given back to be eaten in His presence.

The bread is leavened. Give thanks for all things. Leaven, called, “the arch-symbol of fermentation, deterioration, and death…” Leaven, which God says to bake in the bread offering; our thanksgiving, not for just the blessings, but for the trials, the infirmities, the pain. Thanksgiving in all things, offered to Him.  Thankful hearts which give way to the joy in communion with Christ. Joy received when He sacrificed Himself in our stead.  Eucharisteō: to be thankful. Eucharist: Holy communion with the Lord, the Lord’s Supper—partaking of Him. Offering of Thankfulness, SHELEM, proceeds the ultimate offering. Holy Communion in thankfulness.

God always gives more in return. Offer thanksgiving-- He offers completion, peace, His life, broken for mine. Offer leavened bread—thanks in all things, He does not leave my hands empty. He fills me with the bread of life. Oh love, God's love sonnet penned to my seeing eyes this morning, what was written so long ago.

Lord, may You hear praise in my home, not complaint. May I be a sacrifice, a living sacrifice of thanksgiving. I hold my life up to you with extended arms, Yours.

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And will call upon the name of the LORD.  Psalm 116:17
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I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD,

for it is good. Psalm 54:6

 sources: 

* Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus 1-16: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (Anchor Bible; New York: Doubleday, 1991), p. 189.

* http://www.learnthebible.org/the-sacrifice-of-thanksgiving.html
* http://www3.telus.net/public/kstam/en/tabernacle/details/offerings.html

* http://philologos.org/__eb-ttms/temple06.htm#What%20Constituted%20Peace-offerings