The chapter of feasts…..these were given by God to celebrate
His goodness and what he has done for his people. God starts with the weekly Sabbath, a time
to rest from our normal activity and spend a bit more time thinking about Him,
[remember from the story of creation when God rested after his creation?] Then the annual feasts, designed to remember:
· God’s deliverance from slavery in
Egypt
· The exodus from Egypt and that they
were leaving the old way of life behind to start a new way of living
· The first crop of the barley harvest,
and how God provided for them.
· The end of the harvest and a time to
give thanks and a further celebration of joy and thanksgiving to God.
· Removal of sin at a personal and
national level and restored fellowship with God: a time to give renewed thanks
and commitment to God.
How do our celebrations turn our minds towards our great and
merciful God? How do we as followers of
Jesus cope with Easter and
Christmas? And our holidays –
are they time away from God or holy days – extra time with God?
(member of
congregation)