Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement
The Judgement Day.
Here is Israel Yom Kippur is a very quiet day. It is a very Holy day.
Israel as a nation, all Jews are repenting of their sins. It is a day filled with prayers and fasting.
The atmosphere reminds us clearly God is Holy and our sins stand in the way of that.
I've been thinking of it lately, our protestant Christian churches love to celebrate our closeness and the love of God. It is a good thing. Christ died that we CAN be with Him. We have a hope of life eternal. We have the promise of new life, and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
But I wonder if we can get too comfortable with it? If we can emphasis feeling close to God in so great a way that we neglect to remember that God is Holy. If we emphasis God's grace and love in such a way that neglects to identify and call out sin and that it has no place with a Holy God?
So how can I balance the tensions between Holy and Loving? How can we live in celebration and not forget the weightiness of our transgressions? Can the picture of God as our Father help? A father who loves us, but not to forget a father that holds all authority. In working that out, we have the confidence of a father's unconditional love and the motivation of father who has ultimate power. And driven by the knowledge of God's holiness - we are driven to strive to be holy as He is.
It's life in a tension. But God has not left us with only remembering a Holy God - less than a week from today will be Sukkot - feast of tabernacles, a 8-day celebration of God dwelling with his people. It's a beautiful tension.
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1
Showing posts with label celebration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebration. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
Easter in Jerusalem
So this is probably one of the busier weeks here in Jerusalem. The Jews are celebrating Passover or Pesach, the Western Christians are celebrating Easter Weekend and the Eastern Churches will be celebrating Easter Weekend this coming weekend.
There is always a long list of services or events to chose from in which to participate.
Thursday evening I joined Christ Church in their Maundy Thursday Service and walk to the Mount of Olives. On the way there we saw one of the Othodox groups going to the Church of all nations for a service. Their singing was beautiful!
There is always a long list of services or events to chose from in which to participate.
Thursday evening I joined Christ Church in their Maundy Thursday Service and walk to the Mount of Olives. On the way there we saw one of the Othodox groups going to the Church of all nations for a service. Their singing was beautiful!
Walking up to the Russian Orthodox Church's garden
The stars were bright
Some flowers in their garden
Good Friday - I joined Christ Church again for their service. It was also the beginning of Pesach and our church does a Pesach Sedar. This is a time to retell the story of the Exodus, and that is what we did. It is no coincidence that this holiday celebrating freedom comes at the same time as we celebrate Christ's victory over death.
Sunday Morning - Catching the sunrise on my way to the Garden Tomb
I think this is one of the bigger gatherings on Easter Morning. 6:30am Sunrise service at the Garden Tomb. Good worship and celebration time.
The trees catching the rising the sun.
The message was given by Rev. Simon Ponsonby from Oxford.
We celebrated at school with an Easter BBQ - games, food and finished with worship together.
But most importantly,
His is not here.
He is Risen!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Rosh HaShannah - fresh starts and God's love
Yesterday was Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year.
We celebrated with a group of friends and dinner together! It was a lot fun. I enjoy celebrating these holidays, not just for the sake of extra holidays, but they seem to be very applicable to New Testament as well.
It is a celebration of new starts and making things right. From my understanding it starts a season of making things right with each other before Yom Kippur - the day of Judgement. It is a time of celebration, but also has a piece of introspection attached to it.
This music video might give you an idea of what Rosh Hashannah is celebrating
My thoughts go back to forgiving.
It is hard. It is more than I'm sorry, it is more than pretending it is alright. It is a deep down heart change that refuses to look at that person as an enemy but pleads with God to let me see that person as God sees them. And however long that process takes, however painful that it is, pursuing that perspective until when I think of that person I think of them I no longer think of them with the hurt they caused, but as one loved by God.
When I neglect to extend forgiveness I have neglected to recognize that they are also a child of God. I have forgotten that I too was in that place totally undeserving of grace. In a way it requires humbleness to forgive, because to truly forgive is because we have been forgiven first.
All too often I don't pursue or reject forgiving, I just ignore it. I avoid confrontation. I would rather just pretend it didn't exist and walk away and maybe someday it will all be better. But as a Christian, covered by the grace of God's love I'm called to extend it to others. Maybe the grace they see from me is the only shadow of God's grace they will see, and to cover them in that shadow I must be close to them.
These thought have been rolling around in my mind over the past couple years as I struggle and learn more about forgiveness and God's love. It is easy to say these thing as concepts, just like the rich man with whom Jesus talked could accept the command 'love your neighbour'. But the part that he struggled with was when it was further define who his 'neighbour' was.
Forgiveness is not justifying their actions. It is not saying that it is ok! God never said, "It's all ok" he said, "go and sin no more". If we stop counting their actions and starting asking how God ought to have us love them then maybe we can start in a better place. Maybe the best way to love someone who is hurting you or who has hurt you includes setting up and supporting appropriate boundaries like not being alone with them. Maybe it includes taking a stand and voicing the truth. But above all, it is to seek restoration rather than retribution.
In any case, if we want to truly love and extend God's grace to our neighbours, it is not going to be a cookie cutter "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you". It seeks the best for them, it seeks to love them as Christ loves them. It is to desperately pursue a perspective that they are actively loved by God and to respond to them in an appropriate manner.
Sometime I see or hear of people who feel ostracized from a Christian communities because of their past or their history. Their participation and freedom is limited, instead of finding ways to welcome and support them. All the while they are told that God can save everyone - and even the vilest murder can be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they fail to be accepted them into the kingdom of heaven here on earth. So, either we don't really believe that they will be accepted (Romans 10:13), or we don't believe that the kingdom of heaven is here (Luke 17:21).
I want to see more communities that embraces the truth that God change hearts and celebrated that God makes beautiful things out of our broken pieces.
It is hard. But within that difficulty I have learned more about God's love for me in ways I can't describe, and the value of forgiveness, both towards me and from me.
This might be some heavy thoughts at a time of celebration. But rejoice in this, if you have accepted Christ, you are covered by his grace. You are forgiven, and if those are just words, ask that He shows you value of that forgiveness. As we understand and can rejoice in the grace that covers us, let us freely give.
We celebrated with a group of friends and dinner together! It was a lot fun. I enjoy celebrating these holidays, not just for the sake of extra holidays, but they seem to be very applicable to New Testament as well.
It is a celebration of new starts and making things right. From my understanding it starts a season of making things right with each other before Yom Kippur - the day of Judgement. It is a time of celebration, but also has a piece of introspection attached to it.
This music video might give you an idea of what Rosh Hashannah is celebrating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcxEDy-lr0&feature=youtu.be
It is hard. It is more than I'm sorry, it is more than pretending it is alright. It is a deep down heart change that refuses to look at that person as an enemy but pleads with God to let me see that person as God sees them. And however long that process takes, however painful that it is, pursuing that perspective until when I think of that person I think of them I no longer think of them with the hurt they caused, but as one loved by God.
When I neglect to extend forgiveness I have neglected to recognize that they are also a child of God. I have forgotten that I too was in that place totally undeserving of grace. In a way it requires humbleness to forgive, because to truly forgive is because we have been forgiven first.
1 John 4:19 We love because Christ first loved us.
All too often I don't pursue or reject forgiving, I just ignore it. I avoid confrontation. I would rather just pretend it didn't exist and walk away and maybe someday it will all be better. But as a Christian, covered by the grace of God's love I'm called to extend it to others. Maybe the grace they see from me is the only shadow of God's grace they will see, and to cover them in that shadow I must be close to them.
These thought have been rolling around in my mind over the past couple years as I struggle and learn more about forgiveness and God's love. It is easy to say these thing as concepts, just like the rich man with whom Jesus talked could accept the command 'love your neighbour'. But the part that he struggled with was when it was further define who his 'neighbour' was.
What if God loves... the perpetrator of evil?
What if God loves... the radical terrorist?
What if God loves... the government who is allowing so much injustice?
What if God loves... the one who hurt your family or friend?
What if God loves... the one who hurt you?
What if God loves... the one who is still hurting?
What if God loves... the person I hate?
What if God loves... me?
God does.
Forgiveness is not justifying their actions. It is not saying that it is ok! God never said, "It's all ok" he said, "go and sin no more". If we stop counting their actions and starting asking how God ought to have us love them then maybe we can start in a better place. Maybe the best way to love someone who is hurting you or who has hurt you includes setting up and supporting appropriate boundaries like not being alone with them. Maybe it includes taking a stand and voicing the truth. But above all, it is to seek restoration rather than retribution.
In any case, if we want to truly love and extend God's grace to our neighbours, it is not going to be a cookie cutter "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you". It seeks the best for them, it seeks to love them as Christ loves them. It is to desperately pursue a perspective that they are actively loved by God and to respond to them in an appropriate manner.
Sometime I see or hear of people who feel ostracized from a Christian communities because of their past or their history. Their participation and freedom is limited, instead of finding ways to welcome and support them. All the while they are told that God can save everyone - and even the vilest murder can be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they fail to be accepted them into the kingdom of heaven here on earth. So, either we don't really believe that they will be accepted (Romans 10:13), or we don't believe that the kingdom of heaven is here (Luke 17:21).
I want to see more communities that embraces the truth that God change hearts and celebrated that God makes beautiful things out of our broken pieces.
It is hard. But within that difficulty I have learned more about God's love for me in ways I can't describe, and the value of forgiveness, both towards me and from me.
This might be some heavy thoughts at a time of celebration. But rejoice in this, if you have accepted Christ, you are covered by his grace. You are forgiven, and if those are just words, ask that He shows you value of that forgiveness. As we understand and can rejoice in the grace that covers us, let us freely give.
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:7-8
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