So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
Colossians 2:16-17 NLT
The Old Testament is filled with instructions for the many Jewish feasts that God established. Each offered an opportunity to recall God’s faithful provision. These were deliberate interruptions in daily work cycles to remind God’s people of their dependence upon God, even though harvests may be the fruit of their labour.
In a society in which the demands of work are intense, it’s easy to lose sight of the true purpose of our life. This is to grow up into maturity in Christ ahead of exchanging our mortality for eternity with God. Today employment is hard to find and highly competitive. Holding onto a job demands I give it everything.
So we need to become creative. We must establish healing Sabbath moments within busy schedules. These become reminders and oases in the wilderness. Here we acknowledge and celebrate God, often with others, our objective always to deepen our friendship with God. In the Oratory we celebrate certain feast days as a deliberate interruption to our normal rhythm. We can choose what dates best inspire us, for the reason for the festival is less essential than the commitment to find some time to pause, consider God afresh, pray and remind each other that we are serving God through our life.
Consider your annual calendar and decide where and when to introduce God-centred interruptions to the mundane and the monotony of daily life. These don’t have to be whole days, but are occasions to pause and reflect. They are reminders throughout the year that you serve God, and in God alone is your hope and future truly secured. Failure to do so may mean your friendship with God never grows and your spirit grows weak under the daily pressures of life.
QUESTION
What organised moments of reflection do you observe?
PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me today and through the next year to establish times to consider your provision and to refresh and deepen our friendship.
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