Celebration? What, why?

Yesterday some of my friends ate corned beef and cabbage, worn green, and spoke in strange tongues to mark St. Patrick's Day. Shamrocks appeared. For me, without a drop of Irish blood, (that I know of) it is not a celebration of much consequence. July 4 is a day of significance to Americans. We remember our Independence and establishment as the United States of America with fireworks, parades, and displays of 'red, white, and blue.' July 4 in Mexico? No big deal; it's just another day on the calendar. Here's my point - special days and rituals help us to mark what we value, remind us of heritage, and unite people of common interest.


God directed the Israelites to keep a holy calendar that included a weekly day set apart, the Sabbath, and several holy feasts during the year. "These are the appointed feasts of God which you will decree as sacred assemblies for presenting Fire-Gifts to God: the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, sacrifices, and Drink-Offerings assigned to each day." (Leviticus 23:37, The Message) "Moses posted the calendar for the annual appointed feasts of God which Israel was to celebrate." (Leviticus 23:44, The Message) Passover is perhaps the best known of the holy days, remembering their deliverance from Egypt and birth as a nation. The Day of Atonement is the most solemn, marking repentance for sin and renewal of their relationship with the LORD. God called His people to break from the routines of life to remember Him, to celebrate His work, and to renew their unique identity. In my reading in Leviticus 23 today, I was reminded that the Lord not only offered the days of celebration to His people; He commanded that they mark them faithfully!
Do you consciously celebrate your relationship with the Lord, your heritage in Christ?

The Sabbath Law has been replaced by an invitation to weekly worship on the Lord's Day. What a privilege we have to come together at our churches, to offer our praise, to pray for one another, to remember our calling to be the people of God in our world. Only as adult did I discover the ancient church calendar that reminds me of God's work. The free church in which I was raised never mentioned Advent or the Lenten season. Pentecost mentioned, but not with celebration. Christmas and Easter were more secular than sacred, at least in terms of the way we celebrated.
I urge you to learn the Christian calendar, to mark the various seasons of the year, not just as rituals to keep; but with the goal of pleasing God by being reminded of the holy calling you share to be His very own! Take joy in remembering to Whom you belong, the identity that has been given to you through Christ Jesus. Remember that "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light!" (1 Peter 2:9, KJV)

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The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word.
From heav'n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses;
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev'ry grace endued.

'Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious,
Shall be the Church at rest.

The Church's One Foundation
Stone, Samuel J. / Wesley, Samuel S.

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