THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES – DAY 3

Have you ever thought about the fact that really wonderful things seem to happen on 3rd days?

I have. For instance, the Resurrection of Christ!

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to have been around on THAT 3rd Day?

I guess the next best thing would be to attend the 3rd Day of The Feast of Tabernacles.

THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TO MOVE IN UNITY

Do we have plans for how to spend this 3rd day yet?

We ALWAYS have a “proposed” plan. Yet at the same time, we are ALWAYS flexible. That is just in case God shows us a better plan when we arrive. I’m sure this is just how those old Israelites had to operate in desert. They moved from place to place whenever God told them to. Once there, they did what God showed them next. This works well at the Feast of Tabernacles too. All our shelters are temporary at the feast. We are following the Glory of God to whereever it leads us.

With a family as large as ours, it is impossible NOT to live any other way. One of the first things we discuss when we all arrive at The Feast of Tabernacles is the fact that this is a time for rest, freedom and no stress. It is the perfect time to follow God’s lead in how our worship, fellowship and play will go. We try to remain present and flexible.

Every day we DO try to focus on another element of the festival. I usually pull those suggestions together. Then I present them in a little notebook for all to consider. Most of the time I leave those suggestions laying on our living room coffee table in our temporary place. Everyone reads and considers their favorite ways to spend time together.

Anyone can suggest changes to the plans I suggest. We always discuss as a family and decide as a group. This feast is all about coming together in unity and sharing our time. So what I suggest here, may or may not be what we actually do when we get there.

THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR THE 3RD DAY

Of course, during all seven days we are keeping the main focus of the feast. We are rehearsing the fact that Christ will reign for 1,000 years during the Millennium. Consequently, we think about how God’s people will get to rule and reign with Him. That fact is so BIG and amazing that we just have to keep celebrating it over and over again every day of The Feast of Tabernacles.

For specifics though; on the year I wrote this article originally we had plans to celebrate the birth of Christ on Day 1. Then we decided to have a lot more fun celebrating the blessings that come with the use of our Sukkah on Day 2.

FLEXIBILITY

None of these themes of our days are set in stone. Everyone is always free to celebrate however they wish, or however God leads them. It is all about worship. I am only sharing what He has showed us durng the year of 2023/5784. Every single congregation and gathering does this planning in a little different way. Please don’t think we are setting religious rites or patterns of worship for all. Absolutely not! This is simply what our family has decided to do this year.

Some years we have a lot of pre-planning but still try to follow a loose, relaxing and flexible schedule. Other years we just play it by ear and listen for the voice of God to lead us when we get there. Back in that year of 2023 I noticed all of the the praying and asking for God’s suggestions BEFORE we got there was helpful in building the anticipation and excitement for our new year together.

LET’S GET THANKFUL!

If nothing changes, Day three’s focus will be all about Thanksgiving.

Are you aware that our American holiday of Thanksgiving actually spun off of Sukkot harvest celebrations found in the bible? The pilgrims and the puritans studied the scriptures all the time. They wanted their celebrations in the new land to reflect God’s Annual Celebrations and Holy Days.

So, The Feast of Tabernacles is definitely a very special time to be thanking God for all the blessings He has bestowed on us. I speak of individual as well as family and corporate blessings. I’m also referring to national blessings.

BEING THANKFUL

Don’t misunderstand this focus now. It definitely isn’t going to be a dupe of the American Thanksgiving celebration (that will come later at the traditional time at our house.) However; our time will definitely be a week that is all about gratitude and thankfulness for a good harvest from the past year that just went by.

The “temporary dwelling” we rent speaks into this reason for so much thanksgiving. God has provided the resources that paid for this huge celebration.

This experience helps us to remember that Jesus is the source of our security and safety. We want to be thankful for that too. He is our hope when things seem hopeless. We do not depend on manmade structures or material blessings for our joy. In our hearts and spirits we know our Savior will ALWAYS be here for us. Because of God’s Holy Spirit working in our spirits, spiritual blessings will always come.

The things of the earth may all pass away, but the spiritual things of the love of Yeshua Messiah will remain forever in our hearts. So, during this week we look for ways to note, underline, and celebrate our gratefulness for the amazing, supernatural blessings we receive from God. We are especially thankful for the blessings of the harvest. We praise Our Heavenly Father for both the physical harvest and the spiritual harvest of the year gone by.

PRACTICAL PRACTICES THAT WILL HELP US

There are a lot of practical things we can do to remind us to be thankful. One is to sing The Johnny Appleseed blessing together for our meals on this day. “The Lord is good to me; and so I THANK THE LORD, for giving me the things I need; the sun and the rain and the apple seed; The Lord’s been good to me!“

HEARING GOD’S STORIES

Our sukkah story for the day is about Father Abraham and Sarah. It speaks of how they were grateful to God for all of the promises He made to them. They were especially thankful for the giving of a very special son in their old age. He brought laughter into their home.

If you want to read this story, you can find it inside my book called GOLDEN TALES FOR RAINY DAYS. It is available on Amazon.com. The author is listed as Gail Landgraf.

GOD IS THE POTTER – WE ARE THE CLAY

One of our adventures in 2023 was to take a tour of The Happy Valley Pottery where Jerry and Kathy Chappelle have turned a rambling chicken ranch into a unique little community of working artists.

APPRECIATING ART

We will get to see how mud is shaped and formed by the artists of the area into beautiful pieces of art. These are useful as well as beautiful. I imagine that we will be thanking God all day for how He does this same type of thing to our lives as He molds us and shapes us year-after-year, festival-after-festival.

On the way to see some more of the pottery displayed in Blue Women of Pottery and Winterhawk Pottery, we will stop and purchase some fruit and vegetables to cook later in the evening. We will be browsing through the many roadside stands of fresh fruits and vegetables we pass on our way. This will, of course, remind us to thank God for the abundant way He provides for our tables and keeps us healthy and nourished.

FELLOWSHIP AND HOSPITALITY – JUST LIKE FATHER ABRAHAM

One of these old Southern towns we might stop into on this day is the town of Madison, GA. It is widely known for being one of the most hospitable towns on earth. This will reflect our story of Abraham and Sarah. They were always providing hospitality to those who would stop in and visit with them in their Sukkah. Once inside, they would share the stories of God with them.

GAMES

I will have a game for us after we return to our Sukkah and share our evening meal together. Maybe we will play this game under the light of our fire pit. I will have a bowl full of questions for everyone and they can pull out one as we go around the circle. When it is their turn they will answer the question written down on what they pulled out of the jar. Here are the questions we will discuss:

QUESTIONS FOR THE I AM GRATEFUL TO GOD GAME

• Recount a peak experience from the year. What made it special, and why are you grateful for it?
• Share a special favor you received last year, how it helped you, and how it touched you.
• Describe a special gift or talent you have, how you use it, and why you are grateful for it.
• Name someone who makes your life better and why.
• Think of something you used today that others take for granted.
• What do you appreciate the most about the person next to you?
• Describe something you are particularly grateful for and why.
• Name something you do often that makes you happy and why.
• Describe something that happened this past week that you are grateful for and why.
• Share something you have done that you are proud of and why.
• What parts of our adventures today showed hospitality from others that you are grateful for?
• Are you grateful for laughter? Name something today that made you laugh.
• How has coming to The Feast of Tabernacles this year made you feel more gratitude toward God?

END THE DAY WITH A SONG OF THANKS AND PRAISE

Maybe we will end our night-time devotions around the fire-pit next to the lake by singing an old favorite song written by Don Meon:

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given
Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given
Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, I am strong
Let the poor say, I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us

And now let the weak say, I am strong
Let the poor say, I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us
Give thanks

God bless you all as you enjoy His Feast this year!