Phil. 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
If you haven't noticed, our little girl comes in handy for devotional topics. It's funny, we thought we'd be teaching her but boy, is she teaching us some great lessons!
Over the Fourth of July weekend last summer, our family enjoyed a delightful time at Chincoteague Island with some close friends. Elianna had never been to the beach before and today was her day. She'd always loved bathtime but this was like the biggest bathtub she'd ever seen and she was LOVIN' it!
We all sat around sunning, chatting, and relaxing on the beach as Elianna sat beside us playing in the sand and enjoying the inflow of bubbly white water creeping up into the little sandpit we made for her right next to our umbrella. Suddenly, with no warning, the tide shot up in one wave and swept Elianna backward, eyes, nose, mouth full of saltwater, sending her a couple of feet backward. We were absolutely horrified and scooped her up at once. It took Elianna a few seconds to get her bearings and I was sure at this point we'd need to be heading back for the day. After that experience, surely Elianna would be too traumatized to continue playing on the beach.
But to our amazement, Elianna opened her eyes, let out a cough or two, looked around, and then motioned she wanted to get right back to playing! Not even a tear! She took that wave like a pro and just kept on going, happy as before.
Sometimes life can throw us a sudden wave and knock us around a bit. But, like Elianna, we need to get right back up and keep going! Heavenly blessings await those who endure trials and keep pressing forward for the Kingdom!
Have you been sideswiped recently? Don't let it get you down! Let's get right back in there and make the best of our time here on this earth. Soon we'll be hearing the words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!"
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]During the feast of Tabernacles in Yeshua's (Jesus') day, the temple priests would set up four great lampstands with golden lampholders, which they would light with the aid of enormous ladders in the Temple courtyard. The lighting of these lamps began the celebration of the "Great Hosannah" (Hoshannah Rabbah, in Hebrew).
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is upon us. Beginning tomorrow evening, Yom Kippur marks the holiest of all holy days on the Hebrew calendar. It is the anniversary of the fall of man and it is the climax of the time of Teshuvah (repentance). Starting tonight night and into Saturday, all around the world, the religious will fast from food and water and read prayers in the synagogue, as will the majority of traditional Jews.
Rosh Hashanah traditionally marks the Jewish New Year. "Shanah" is a unique Hebrew word meaning "to repeat, revise, or go over again". As we begin the new year, with fall, then winter, spring, and summer, we remember the cyclical pattern of time in God's creation. The nature of life is to repeat itself -- to continue in a cycle, marked by Rosh HaShannah -- a New Year. Although time is moving in a direction toward a definite destiny determined by the Creator, it does so in cycles ... truly, "what goes around comes around".
Earlier this week, we celebrated the Biblical festival of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) otherwise known as Rosh Ha Shana. What's interesting about Rosh Ha Shana (the Jewish celebration of the New Year), is that it doesn't fall on the first day of the first month. It actually falls on the first day of the seventh month! It's difficult for outsiders to understand this concept, but if we study how the Jewish year begins and how God is outlining this age according to the Jewish feasts it all makes sense.
From Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur there are ten days. The Lord gave these days to Israel to prepare for His judgment. They became known as the Yamim Noraim – the "Days of Awe". It has been long believed that during these days one's final destiny was sealed concerning the Book of Life, God's eternal Book of Judgment. Thus every year the Jewish people have observed these days with great reverence and repentance so to be right with God and with men.
As we just celebrated one of the highest holy days of all the feasts of the Bible, Yom Turah (Feast of Trumpets) known in modern times as Rosh ha Shana (Head of the Year).
On the Hebrew calendar, we're at the end of the month of Elul. This particular month the shofar is sounded once a day as a call for the people to repent as we approach the Hebrew month of Tishri.