Hope For All Humanity

I love this time of year!

We've just observed the Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. In a few days we will be joining friends in our faith to observe the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day (or Eighth Day). These days (outlined in Leviticus 23, among other places in the Bible) celebrate, not what Jesus Christ has done for us, but the future hope for all humanity!

Earlier in the year we observed the Biblical days depicting Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, the removal of sin from our lives and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost).

What a joy it is to now (impatiently!) look forward to a time when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Habakuk 2:14)! We don't know when that will be, but we see the signs, like the fig tree putting forth leaves (Matthew 24:32).

Observing these days reminds us that God truly will offer everyone an opportunity for salvation - that no one is forgotten or left out. What an incredible promise!

Unlike the pagan holidays, Christmas and Easter, God's Holy Days are a reminder of His whole plan.

And that's why I love this time of year.

Do You Love God?

Really??

Do you believe in God? Do you trust Him? Do you love Him? More than your friends and family? The way He wants to be loved? Really? Really truly?

Jesus Christ who came to earth and died for our sins was the I AM of the Old Testament (He said so to the Pharisees in John 8:58) - the I AM who thundered to the Israelites in the wilderness and commanded them to kill those who had worshipped the golden calf (three thousand died that day - Exodus 32:27-28). This Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

So if you discovered that Easter and Christmas are pagan holidays, would you stop keeping them since God hates idolatry and pagan worship? Even if it really upset your sister? Or your kids? Or your husband? Are you sure you really love God? Or would you rather pretend to worship Him while enjoying the pagan rites of the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia?

What if you read in the Bible that it says that God hates lying - would you stop telling your kids about the tooth fairy? Even though it's "just for fun"? Would you?

If you discovered that the seventh day Sabbath was never changed or "done away with", would you give up Saturday football for God? Would you go to church then, even though your friends thought you'd gone a bit weird? Do you really love God?

Do you love God enough to read His whole Book? Without filters on? Not just bits and pieces but the whole lot, beginning to end - really paying attention to the details? Without finishing His sentences for Him, but reading what He is actually saying?

Do you love God enough to see you've been wrong and change? Do I? Because we've all been wrong and we've all got to change in some way. Do we really love God that much? If we don't ask ourselves that question, He will ask it for us some day. Are you ready for the answer?

I recommend watching God's Love Language to delve further into these questions.