We are coming up to a very important time of year in the calendar of God. Leviticus 23 talks about seven different feasts/festivals that God has instituted and several of them are going to be celebrated in the next couple of months by the Jewish people. These special days are called “The Lord’s appointed times” and they are seen as opportunities to meet with God in a very special way.
The Jewish people take these times very seriously. They even begin preparing for the bigger feasts weeks in advance making sure their homes and hearts are prepared to meet with God. The idea is that God has specifically set aside time each year to meet with His people so they want to be ready.
Now, if the Creator of the Universe sets aside time to be with His people don’t you want to take Him up on it?
Well, Easter can also be seen as an appointed time to meet with the Lord, so the question can be asked of us – how are we preparing to meet with God as Easter is coming closer? Are we so focused on getting baskets for the kids and food for the family that we have forgotten to prepare our hearts as well?
The appointed times are coming? Are you ready?
Again, the question can be asked – how do you prepare your heart to meet with God as Easter approaches?
Well, for the Jewish people they focus on what God did for them as a nation. They remember how they were once slaves in Egypt toiling cruelly under the bondage of Pharaoh and how God came down and did might works on their behalf. They talk about the lack of food and water, the plagues, Moses and Aaron. They recount the story of the Exodus blow by blow savoring all that God did on their behalf. They recognize that God set them free from Egypt so that they could be His people and He their God.
In other words, during this time to prepare their hearts the Jewish people focus on the fact that not only do they have a God who exists, they also have a God who saves.
According to Paul we Gentiles have been grafted into the community of Israel so we too worship and serve this God, the God who set Israel free from the bondage to Egypt. We too can rejoice in their salvation back then and for their future salvation that is coming. But we can also add to that our salvation now.
Bc God still saves.
And although we haven’t been set free from Pharaoh, we have been set free/saved from death, the punishment of our sin, the wrath of a holy God, and from trying to live this life apart from God.
One way to prepare your heart to meet with God this Easter is to meditate on the fact that we have a God who saves! What a wonderful thing that God doesn’t see sin and simply shrug His shoulders and go “oh darn, wish there was something I could do to make it better.”
We serve and worship a God who not only cares but acts, a God who saves.
As Easter draws near may we meditate and focus on this amazing fact – not only does our God exist, but our God saves! And He has saved us. What a wonderful God He is.