He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

Ezra 6:22 There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel.

What do you do when good fortune comes from a completely unexpected place? Do you take it for granted? Do you figure you deserve it as payback for all the bad things that come your way from unexpected places? Or do you say, “Thanks God, you’re the best” and join positive and grateful people along the path of appreciation?

What can you give thanks for today that was totally unexpected?

2 Samuel 6:14

14 David was dancing for the LORD with all his might, but he wore only a linen cloth. 

David and the Israelites won a great battle and get the Ark of the Covenant back. Now they return home and celebrate. The King takes off his robe and boogies down the road like the common people. His wife tells him she is embarrassed, and she doesn’t like the way he dances.

At least wives are so much more understanding today about how we dance. “Celebrate good times, come on…”

Have you ever danced for the LORD? Just wait until no one’s home, crank up the music and let ‘er rip! “

Deuteronomy 16:15 For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

God: You will have a party and you will enjoy it for a whole week and that’s an order!

Christians: You can’t possibly mean that. The last thing the world needs is to see Christians having fun at church. They won’t think we take you seriously enough.

God: I didn’t ask you what you think. Now, have fun. It is me you are celebrating. I like it when you are happy.

What would someone think of the God you worship when they look at your main attitude of life?

Deuteronomy 14:26 When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household. 

“Scarcity mentality” means there isn’t enough to go around and so I have to be selfish and look out for my self. This means being stingy with what I invest in God’s mission through my local church. This means I neglect to consider those in need. I may even criticize my church for not doing enough for those in need, but personally I don’t do jack. Christians are an interesting bunch.

“Abundance mentality” is God’s thinking. Always more than enough to go around. This text from Deuteronomy is instructions for worshipers who are coming to church with a big offering after the harvest. Look again at what it tells the worshipers to do. Interesting…

What would be different about your life if you had abundance mentality?

 Numbers 10:12 “Five days later, on the fifteenth day of the same month, you must call another holy assembly of all the people, and you may do no ordinary work on that day. It is the beginning of the Festival of Shelters, a seven-day festival to the Lord.

I love how this passage sounds- very churchy. “You must call another holy assembly…” That’s just what we need. Sounds dull enough to be spiritual. “Hey, how would you like to join me at the holy assembly?”

Wait a minute. This is God speaking. Wait another minute. This is not a boring gathering of pretentious people going through the motions. It is the start of a seven day party!!

How do our preconceived notions of what the Bible talks about get corrected when we actually read it?

Numbers 10.10

Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.

God is telling his people to blow the trumpets and loudly proclaim that he is their God, whenever they come together for worship. Prior to this verse, he just told them to blow the trumpets as an alarm when they are attacked by their enemies. Either way, God keeps showing up. 

Through challenging circumstances and wondrous occurrences, God just keeps showing up and does what he does best. Being God. So, we might as well pucker up. 

Pray for God to protect you.

lev 23.4

In addition to the Sabbath, these are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the official days for holy assembly that are to be celebrated at their proper times each year.

Is it becoming clear that God had his people celebrate a lot? These biblical texts we have been reading this week are all from the early days of God with his people. I thought he was a God of rules who wants to make sure we never enjoy ourselves?

The great Dampener? The great Downer? I guess not.

Pray to expand your vision of God and what he represents.