CELEBRATE CREATION

Summer days are meant to celebrate. God’s glorious creation offers us the chance to rest and relax and reconnect with God. One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 1:20. “For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So men are without excuse…”

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES by Sally Bair

Celebrate!

Celebration is meant for weddings, births, family reunions, holidays, holy days, and any other event. In fact, there are so many celebrations across our country—especially during the summer—that we can pick almost any town and find something to celebrate. There are Renaissance fairs, county and state fairs, and music festivals. We celebrate pumpkin harvests, rutabagas, and apples. We toast famous men such as Will Rogers and Mark Twain with parades, and famous battles of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. We celebrate with parades, food, games, fireworks, fun, and fellowship. There’s virtually no end to what or how we celebrate.

God’s people also celebrated victorious events. They sang and danced after God led them across the Red Sea. They celebrated major victories over their enemies. They celebrated, and still celebrate today, the famous Passover of the Angel of Death after living under Pharoah’s rule for 400 years. They still rejoice at harvest times and other events.

Some of us today even celebrate the deaths of loved ones whom we believe have passed from this life to eternal life with Christ. Such celebration is able to minimize our sorrows for their loss and maximize the peace and joy we receive from our hope and faith in His promises.

One event we celebrate surprises me every time I read of it and partake of it—that of the Lord’s Supper. When it came time for Jesus and His disciples to celebrate the Passover, although knowing He would soon die a cruel death, He said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16)

This would be Jesus’ last chance to share in the earthly celebration and He made the most of it by using the unleavened bread and wine as a remembrance of Himself. Thinking only of them, of their spiritual welfare, He fervently—with passionate joy—offered Himself to them.

When we, too, partake of His body and blood, we’re reminded not only of His suffering and death for our sake, but we celebrate the same hope of the disciples, that of spending eternity with Him. Each partaking of the Lord’s Supper should become a celebration of joy and hope and communion with Him.

Lord, thank You for cause to celebrate life with family, friends, and with You. May we always be mindful of Your sacrifice for our sin and may we always be filled with joy that comes when we commune with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.