Leviticus 23-25: I love a great Party with a Purpose! In today’s reading God was giving Israel the command to party with the purpose to remember Him and all He had done for them.
Each week they were to work 6 days then on the 7th rest and worship Him. Spending time in corporate worship but also in fellowship with Him and others. Sounds like a bucket of fried chicken and sides to me. 🙂
They were to celebrate how God brought them out of slavery in Egypt a couple of ways. First they were to observe Passover which was a celebration of when they obeyed God and put the blood on their door posts. When the angel of the Lord passed through the land and took the first born of every living creature, the angel Passed over the homes of Israel. That night was the final plague that brought them freedom! They were to celebrate their freedom. This celebration like several of the others were to be done with a combination of eating, fasting, worship and giving sacrifices. It was over a week as many of the others were. Another of the celebrations connected with their release from Egypt was the festival of booths because that is what they lived in when they left Egypt.
Some of the other celebrations had to do with thanking God for His provision. First Fruits and The Festival of Weeks thanked God for His bountiful harvest. Again food, fellowship and worship crowned these celebrations as well.
This weekend I am speaking to a group of ladies who serve alongside their husbands. Many are worn out and discouraged. Many need a good Party with Purpose. I hope to bring that! Most of all they need to understand that the same God the Children of Israel celebrated wants them to party with the purpose of revival for the and their church families. As we remember all God has done and why we serve Him we are revived of spirit. We will eat, fellowship, and worship, but my prayer is that we will once again be filled with the wonder of all God has, is and will do. That is the purpose of the party. To help us see God!
Do you need a good party? Do you need to remember who He is, what He has done and what He is yet to do? Get the party plates and napkins ready and feast with friends, family or those in need and declare all He has done in your life and is about to do!