Celebrations
We are still experiencing new highs with God! He is amazing.
Saturday was our 39th wedding anniversary! I thank God for giving me a man who has loved me well and prayed us through all those years. One of our children graciously offered to treat us to an anniversary dinner, but I said, "Save your pennies, we don't really celebrate anniversaries." Three of our children have September/October birthdays and my husband was a college football player, so fall weekends are focused on Saturday football games. We just never made time to celebrate.
That had me thinking about celebrations in the Bible. Off the top of your head do you recall any anniversary or birthday parties in the Bible?
Pharaoh had a birthday party where he had the head baker's head impaled on a post and Herodias's daughter danced her way into Herod's favor at a birthday celebration in a fashion that cost John the Baptist his head. Not such nice parties.
Most celebrations were focused on feasts that focused on God! The best celebrations are yet to come!
"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!" Philippians 4:4-5
"O Heaven, celebrate!" Revelation 18:20
"Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder: Hallelujah! The Master reigns, our God, the Sovereign-Strong! Let us celebrate, let us rejoice, let us give him the glory!" Revelation 19:6-7
A friend and faithful Boojoyful reader emailed me yesterday and it gave me such an incredible reason to celebrate. Her joy brought tears to my eyes.
She wrote:
"I am always talking to Jesus- sharing my thoughts, seeking His guidance, telling Him how thankful I am He has my heart and my life, praying for people, places, things that are happening, asking Him to keep pulling me in the direction He wants me to walk, thanking Him for blessings, praying that the adversity and rocky roads in our life will be used to glorify Him, etc. (You get all that.) 😉
"I am always talking to Jesus- sharing my thoughts, seeking His guidance, telling Him how thankful I am He has my heart and my life, praying for people, places, things that are happening, asking Him to keep pulling me in the direction He wants me to walk, thanking Him for blessings, praying that the adversity and rocky roads in our life will be used to glorify Him, etc. (You get all that.) 😉
Then, I started thinking today about how often every day I am telling my husband and children and grandchildren how much I love them (which is a lot) and I paused, thinking in that moment I wasn't sure I had ever spoken those exact words, in that way, to Jesus. I immediately said, "I love you Jesus", and instantly I had an overwhelming, all encompassing, emotional moment with tears uncontrollably welling up in my eyes. I know He filled me up with His Spirit, acknowledging He heard me. It was an awesome and special moment. Needless to say I will be telling Jesus I love Him multiple times every day as well!"
