Merry Christmas!
I, (Lisa), was reading recently about the Feast of the Tabernacles. This was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites gathered to celebrate God's continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness. It was a time of great celebration. Some theologians believe that Jesus was born during the
Feast of Tabernacles.
While on Earth, Jesus kept the Feast of Tabernacles. In John 7:37-38 we see him standing in the temple and crying out:
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)
I love this quote that I found from this website:
"This feast, like all of the feasts of Israel, consistently reminded the Jews and should remind Christians as well that God has promised to deliver His people from the bondage of sin and deliver them from their enemies. Part of God's deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land. The same holds true for Christians today. God protects us and provides for us as we go through life in the wilderness of this world. While our hearts long for the Promised Land (heaven) and to be in the presence of God, He preserves us in this world as we await the world to come and the redemption that will come when Jesus Christ returns again to "tabernacle" or dwell among us in bodily form."
To be honest, life the past few months has felt like a wilderness in ways. So much sadness and heartache. But when I stop and look back at 2017, I see so much to celebrate. So many reasons to praise God. Perhaps that's why He created the Feast of Tabernacles. When you're required to set aside days to celebrate, it turns the negativity around you and you can actually see all that He has done.
With this in mind, I believe that we should set aside the last 7 days of 2017 and share stories of celebration with you. After all, you're a part of these stories because it's your support and prayers that allow us to partner with our friends in Guatemala. So be sure to look this week for the story of the day, and celebrate with us!
As the year ends, perhaps you can ask God what your stories of celebration are.
As the year ends, perhaps you can ask God what your stories of celebration are.