Deuteronomy 16:1-22


Holidays are something that most of us look forward to celebrating together as a family.  They should be a time for reflection on the Lord and that which He has done for us as well as a time for us to examine how the Lord would have us to walk in the days ahead.  The regular routine of life is something that is very helpful to us but we also look forward to breaks in the routine.  Unfortunately, it seems like breaks in our routine usually end up meaning that we separate less time to spend with the Lord and reflecting on Him than we do on a regular basis.  Just the opposite should be true.  Society has created an expectation of spending money on things, being involved in activities that fill up all of our time and use up all of our extra funds during the holiday season.  The end result of a holiday in the world’s way is that we rush from activity to activity and have a hard time reading Scripture or praying and then we spend as much as we can on special things for ourselves that end up forcing us to give less to the work of the Lord.  God’s intention in a holiday is that we have much extra time for grateful reflection and prayerful planning and that we consecrate as much as we can to give to the Lord and the needs of others.

GOD WANTS US TO HAVE TIME FOR REST AND REFLECTION: It seems like we are always busy and can easily fill up every hour of every day.  We become so active that we get exhausted and rarely have time to stop and think or pray.  God has set aside times in our weeks and in the holidays of the year where our normal routine should be interrupted in order to have more time for rest and reflection.  Activity often becomes a salve that we use to cover up our consciences so that we easily ignore our sin.  We would do well to strive to simplify our lives, cut out some activities and schedule time to stop and think, evaluate, pray, praise and worship the Lord.  Times we take off work should provide opportunities to spend more time with God, not less.

GOD WANTS US TO BE JUST IN OUR JUDGMENTS: It was very important to the Lord that the children of Israel be known as an honest and just nation.  They were not to offer or take bribes and were to justly judge the crimes committed against one another.  People naturally want to try to get away with things and will try to pervert justice in order to find relief or in order to make some extra money.  Greed and guilt will motivate people to do some very bad things.  God wants us to respond to sin by repentance, restitution and then committing to righteousness.  Out natural tendency is to try to cover up or excuse sin in order to save ourselves from disgrace or discomfort.  We must learn to admit and turn from our sin and recognize that the only way to solve the problem of sin is through repentant faith in the work of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more