7On the first day of the festival, all the people must stop their ordinary work and observe an official day for holy assembly. 8 For seven days you must present special gifts to the LORD. On the seventh day the people must again stop all their ordinary work to observe an official day for holy assembly.” Leviticus 23:7-8
Just before my reading this morning I was in Fred Meyer picking out some Dark Chocolate for Cyndi (one of her primary love languages) for Valentines Day! The first aisle was filled with Valentines gifts of red and pink. The next aisle was stocked with Easter gifts of green and blue and the next aisle was stocked with St. Patricks Day trinkets of green and… well, more green. It was Holiday schizophrenia! It was a collision of Holiday commercialism. I’m surprised the 4th of July aisle of red, white, and blue paraphernalia wasn’t in the 4th aisle down. It’s easy to get cynical at our societies seeming inability to savor a moment before moving on to the next one, but this morning’s reading was a reminder that God loves holidays (holy days, set-apart days)! Whether it’s the weekly Sabbath or the annual appointed festivals spread throughout the Jewish calendar (Passover, First Harvest, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Shelters, etc) it was a physical change of pace, a spiritual realignment, a regular reminder of what matters most. God loves gifts, parties and hanging out with His peeps (not those gross marshmallow ones which have done their best to invade every holiday in existence)!
Last night I made Cyndi and the boys some BBQ Rib Eye steaks and flame seared veggies and shrimp! We went around the table expressing what we loved about each other (this sounds like a Hallmark moment, but this was done in between Aden giving Elijah a weggie and the Twins putting food in their sparkling cider). Then this morning we all gave each little gifts of chocolate to symbolize our love for each other. As much as it would be easy to minimize the impact of these times and traditions I truly believe holidays provide a time outside of our normal routines to go a little deeper in our words of affection and take a little more time in our expressions of love. Life moves by so fast that these calendar markers become a chance for all of us to reconnect with each other and with the Lord. Even though most holidays have been entirely secularized it doesn’t mean we have to leave them that way. We can redeem these moments instead of just letting them pass by. Tonight I will be reading the true definition of love according to 1 Corinthians 13 and will be asking the boys which of these descriptives we want to work on over the next week:
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 6 It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Thank you Jesus for Your love that calls out to me in so many ways. You are constantly surprising me with your care and provision. You provide for that which I would not even pray for simply because You love me (a new coffee mug). In the same way that I look to do special things for my family, let me also seek to do that which pleases Your heart. Expressions of love and faithfulness that go beyond scheduled times of devotions and religious duty. I want You to know my heart is Yours and to show it in as many creative ways as possible. Thank You for this day on February 14th that reminds me of what true love really looks like!
