Did you know that in the King James Version of the New Testament, the word “ordain” is found in 21 verses and it’s translated from 14 different Greek words? I had no idea it was such a complicated subject. It’s related to the blog post I was working on for this week, but between recovering from a horrible stomach illness and traveling for the Feast of Tabernacles, I did not have time to complete a study that turned out to be more involved than I expected.
So instead today, I’m just going to share a reflection on one verse that is pivotal to understanding the Feast of Tabernacles (also called Sukkot). It’s one that describes something that ought to be easy, but was surprisingly difficult to do this year.
You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. You shall keep a feast to Yahweh your God seven days in the place which Yahweh chooses, because Yahweh your God will bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful.
Deuteronomy 16:14-15, WEB
I remember growing up and thinking of the Feast as the highlight of the year. It’s not that way yet for a 1-year-old, though, who doesn’t understand why she had to sit in the car for a whole day and have her routine upended for a week then spend another whole day driving home. Plus, everyone in our cabin got sick. There was a lot more feeling altogether miserable than feeling altogether joyful, at least from our perspective.
“Joy” is an interesting subject in the Bible. It’s not just a happy feeling; it’s a conscious choice. Joy is an enduring quality that people can have even when things are going bad and there’s no apparent reason for happiness. We grow to have joy-filled lives as we walk with God through life’s trials and see His consistent trustworthiness. I saw that this past week in my dad, who was so glad to be spending the Feast with his family and grandchildren that none of the bad things that happened affected his peace or joy. I realized this past week that I have a lot more growing to do before I have that kind of inner peace and joy, but maybe I’ll also manage to learn that lesson by the time I’m a grandparent.
Like An Anchor 