The Holy Days

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The air is cool and crisp, the nights are growing longer, and the season of celebration is upon us. Those of you who know me or who have read this blog for a while know that one of my favorite themes in life is that of the four seasons. Recognizing this, my beautiful mother spent hours and hours of her time making me a gorgeous embroidery celebrating the seasons, a treasure I view and contemplate often. I truly love the so-named concerto by Vivaldi, and have since I was quite young. I truly love the turning of one season to another, and have delightful childhood memories of the beauty of New England season changes. I love how God built all of that into creation—new life to fruitfulness to rest and recovery, so it can all happen all over again in a type of death and resurrection. I think He must love the four seasons, too! And I know something else that God loves...

Happy autumn to you and yours!

The Creator of All Things loves to celebrate and be with His family! As we enter this season of special days, it is good to pause and reflect on God's own recommendation for a healthy rhythm of life. 

The Old Testament is a deep look into the way sin separated mankind from God. It details the way God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants to bring mankind back into fellowship with Himself, and from that union, to invite all nations into that same fellowship. The problem of sin and separation from our holy God is real and cannot be ignored, but God generously and lovingly brought the terms of friendship to His people through the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. Of course, much sacrifice and obedience were necessary at that point for us to be able to even be in God’s presence, and the regulations were strict and specific. But alongside the parameters for sacrifice were the instructions for a godly daily life and for numerous regular celebrations. The law is filled with them, and this is so wonderful! God wants to be with us all the time, and He wants us to celebrate life with Him and with one another. 

Deuteronomy 6: 1-6 gives clear insight into God’s heart for healthy, thriving homes and families. It clearly paints the picture that our relationship with God does not consist of just occasional large gatherings in a temple. Worship of God is central in our hearts and homes...
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These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all His decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.


Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
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Further, Leviticus chapters 23-26 give real insight into God’s heart for regular communion for the people of God. 


•    Every Sabbath day is holy and set aside for special rest, reverence, and offerings. This is one day in every seven.


•    Every year there were to be seven holy times of fasting and feasting, called festivals. These were not just momentary pauses in regular life. They were significant times of reflection and gratitude built into the yearly rhythm. 


•    Every seventh year was to be a Sabbath Year where the land and fields got a whole year of rest. 


•    Every seventh Sabbath year begins an entire Year of Jubilee. This is fascinating and involves not only letting the land rest but everyone and every place being restored to their original owners.
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God wants us to remember Him, and He wants us to let Him help us keep our priorities straight. He is not an egomaniac who demands that we drop everything and pay attention to Him because He is desperate for our attention and affirmation. He simply knows what we will get into without Him being the center of our hearts, homes and calendars. He sees our sinful nature and knows that when we forget He is the creator and sustainer of life, we begin to think all kinds of wrong and delusional thoughts. We will forget about the sanctity of life. We will forget about treating each other well and watching out for others. We will begin to do things to take advantage of one another and even to take advantage of the land. God knows that regular rhythms of acknowledging Him in all of life keep us sane.

This is also why the law requires so many offerings and acts of remembrance. When we do not stop to give thanks and to give back to the One who gave all the blessings, we lose perspective and begin to think that we have done everything ourselves. We tend to forget God, and then make ourselves the center of everything.

So as we move into autumn and winter this year, let's take ample time to remember God. How amazing it is to celebrate with God on this side of His once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross! We can look back and recognize His great faithfulness in the past, and look forward to all the future holds in hope. What a tremendous joy it can be to turn away from the anger and bitterness of our culture and to focus instead on the goodness of God. What a beautiful opportunity to slow down and savor the most lovely things of life: family, friends, forgiveness, the many gifts and blessings God has given to us, and most especially the gift of His Son—Emmanuel, God With Us. 

Let me encourage you today; God loves you so much, and wants to be with you. And He wants to move in your life in such a way that the world will see how good and pleasant it is to walk together.  All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas—Pull up a seat at His table of feasting this season and celebrate with Him! 

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Part of this post is an excerpt from my devotional book called Living Stones, a look into walking with God in healthy community. The three sections are Understanding Church, Elements of a Strong Community, and Building Healthy Culture. If you're looking for something fresh for personal or group study, consider ordering a copy or a few! Follow the link below:

Living Stones: Learning to Walk in Community as a Follower of Christ