GOD’S PERFECT TIMING
Last week we discussed how God gave his own personal calendar to Moses and thoroughly explained to him exactly which days were His appointed times and then told Moses what was expected of the people in keeping these annual days.
So what is God’s next appointment with mankind?
What a coincidence that we hit this particular part of the study on the exact same week that people are preparing to leave for The Feast of Tabernacles.
That is God’s perfect timing for you!
I love it.
SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO
I am beginning to write this lesson just as the Day of Atonement has come to a close. I pray that God has heard your prayers and that you have been written down in The Book of Life and that you have a very sweet year ahead of you.
What better way to begin a sweet new year on God’s sacred calendar than with a joyous annual celebration?
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to our every Thursday weekly bible study called COME AS A CHILD. We are continuing our study of the passages found in Leviticus Chapter 23 today; but speaking mostly on the subject of The Feast of Tabernacles. I hope you caught the article we posted recently about The Feast of Tabernacles; but if not; you may explore all of the details here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/feast-of-tabernacles-christian-sukkot/.
Every annual feast and festival of God’s calendar was discussed in last week’s lesson. If you missed it; you may review it here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/calendar-of-god/
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
When Moses first announced this festival to the people of Israel; this was what He repeated from God’s mouth to their ears:
Leviticus 23: 41-43: Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’
This scripture has taken on a whole new meaning to me in the present moment.
I have been watching and waiting on the announcement that we can start the journey to our feast site. This year we have reservations in one of the areas that has been devastated by Hurricane Florence.
The ironic thing about it all is that we have planned the best feast ever.
We’ve pondered what we will share with each other all year long. There have been hours and hours of plans laid out, exactly to perfection. Our accommodations were arranged months and months ago. Just the right place was decided upon. Everyone had such unique ideas for this spot to celebrate the feast and they all give glory to God. The whole family came up with special ideas that could turn into activities which we will all remember as a family forever.
I don’t think we have ever done this much planning!
Was all of this planning actually necessary?
No!
Not at all.
We could have skipped every minute of it; but it truly was our passion to plan it all out. The feast is always good; whether you plan each and every detail out; or whether you just let things happen in a more spontaneous manner.
GOD’S PLANS ARE ALWAYS BETTER THAN OURS
It IS important to plan to celebrate the feast somewhere and somehow. The scripture passage quoted above answers that question with a few of the details we need to follow. God DID ask us to do this.
Many people put a certain amount of their earnings aside all year long so that the feast will not be a financial strain or a burden to their budget. This is on top of the usual tithes and offerings that they have already committed to give; so on some weeks it seems like a lot to put aside money for the Feast of Tabernacles journey during those periods of financial stress that can come up all through a normal working year.
We have learned not to ignore this practice though; and to be careful to put aside whatever we are able.
Because we are so careful to plan it and keep this practice up all year; we have found our feasts to be amazingly easy and happy; without a bit of worry or financial stress. It REALLY is a lot like we think things will be whenever Christ does return again to rule and reign over the earth. In that day, no one will be poor and every one will be blessed! Good planning usually makes for a very care-free feast.
Our feasts have reflected this care-free and joyful element for many years now and we haven’t taken any of those blessings for granted. God has provided for our every need. We are so thankful; and we know it is by the grace of God that it all works out for us; and it is never because of our own plans and ideas.
ANTICIPATING GOD’S COMFORT AND BLESSING IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
For each annual season that we are blessed it also occurs to us that every year may not always be this way; but year-after-year we have sighed a sigh of relief as we have finished all of the planning . Somehow with God’s help and guidance we have been able to look forward to all that we planned with great anticipation.
There is also another factor at work. We have that comfort of knowing that God will always meet us in any circumstances. Our lives and our plans are totally up to Him; and each year holds its own element of trusting Him for the outcome.
THINKING OF SARAH AND ABRAHAM ON THE WAY TO THE FEAST
This year something very unexpected happened; and its name was Hurricane Florence.
All of our completely paid for reservations have been sitting there just waiting on us to arrive. The problem is; we aren’t sure we CAN arrive.
At this very moment we don’t know if all the right roads will be opened; or if the property we rented will still be okay, or if there will be electricity or water or groceries in the area if we can get there.
The clean, beautiful beaches that we were anticipating may all be full of debris and there is rain predicted for every single day that we are supposed to be at the beach.
So much for well-intended planning!
I laugh to myself and think how much our unknowns can compare to those of Sarah and Abraham as they set out on their unknown destination so very long ago.
They simply had to trust God for all the details.
They had done their part; and now they were waiting on God to show them the rest of the story.
That’s about where we are right now.
Oh boy, oh joy…….15 people crammed in a house without an open restaurant or any outside activities operating! If we are lucky we will find an open grocery store that has a little food left on the shelves.
That lovely trip on the ferry will probably be post-phoned until another year. That trip to the Boardwalk is no longer possible.
Those horses we wanted to ride on the beach have all been hauled out of the area to higher ground, and they probably won’t return until sometime after we leave.
That great trolley ride through the historic old city nearby to where we are staying isn’t running at all; the city streets stand empty in several feet of flood water.
LIFE WITH GOD CAN BE VERY UNPREDICTABLE
I’m reminded of the quote from The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis when Mr. Beaver is speaking to the children of Asland: “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver….”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. ”
Are we even going to be able to go?
We will know soon.
This is a sacred, appointed time. You can’t just post-phone and move to another date on the calendar. It happens when it happens; and sometimes God’s will is hidden from our eyes until we find ourselves looking back years later.
There is a reason for everything.
GOD IS IN CONTROL
We are just waiting on the people to say that our beautiful rental house is still standing and able to accommodate our family. If not; we will have a feast wherever we are at the moment.
This is something we have to leave totally up to God. He is always in control and that makes me VERY glad. I have no clue as to what we should or should not do.
There is one thing I DO know though; with God as our Father it is going to be a good feast no matter what.
We will be where we will be and we will worship Him in the process of being there. That is all it is really ever about anyway.
I even feel ashamed to mention all the things that have gone wrong for us when at the very same time there are people who have lost their homes and loved ones. There are people with REAL problems instead of simply worrying about the state of their luxury accommodations.
How can we even have a feast in the midst of so much suffering?
Perhaps our focus many shift a bit as we will remember the first thing and the last thing that God reminded Moses in the midst of making all of the family feast plans for generations and generations to come.
The most important thing that God kept reminding Moses was “I am the LORD your God.”
The feast isn’t about how God will manage to accommodate us; it is all about how our hearts will accommodate Him! Our true sukkahs will remain to be our beating hearts that hold the door open to God’s Holy Spirit. Everything may not be totally safe, or easy, or planned out; but it will be GOOD because our God will be dwelling among us.
Troubles will come and troubles will go as we live out our imperfect lives in this imperfect world. Babies will be born and people will die each and every day. Some of us will take our first breath as many are taking their last breath. In the midst of it all there is only one truth worth knowing and remembering: “I am the LORD your God.”
If you know these words in your heart; you will always have a good feast.
If we honor Him and praise Him and give glory to God wherever we go and whatever the circumstances; we will find joy.
JOY IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS
The bleakest moment in human history must have been that moment that Jesus died on the cross; but those who were left waiting had to somehow keep going on and pressing through to find the glory of God in every moment that passed afterward. Hope springs eternal in the hearts of God’s children. For the disciples and those who loved Jesus so much; it must have seemed impossible. Yet; it was only three days later when the joy of Resurrection occurred and Jesus rose from the grave; the first of many to come.
If we hold on to God in the moments He gives to us and keep walking in His ways even when we don’t even begin to understand; He will once again bring us back to unspeakable joy in any circumstances.
This tells me that this feast year is going to be one of the best ever!
For me to not be able to follow my well-laid-out plans means that God has something better in store for us.
I love how that always happens.
I can’t wait to find out what that will be.
I’ll be saying a prayer for your safe journey; as I’m hoping you do for mine.
Here’s wishing all of our wonderful readers a joyful and amazing Feast of Tabernacles.
May your heart be filled and overflowing with the amazing love and grace of Christ as He leads you on your own personal journey through Sukkot.