The scope of the celebration services in the Old Testament is staggering. Solomon’s dedication of the Temple involved hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of people. They gathered and praised God. They prayed and shouted. And, here’s the part we like, they had the biggest barbecue cookout you can imagine. They cooked up 22,000 cows and 120,000 sheep and goats. There was food as far as the eye could see. Everyone ate and drank and celebrated for two full weeks.
It was every church barbecue and “lunch after the meeting” you’ve ever been to, and then some!
And what were they celebrating? A building. A fixed place where they could go and find God. They were celebrating the fact that God had kept His promise to them by redeeming them from slavery, giving them a land of their own and blessing them with favour among the other nations.
Those are good things. But think about what you have to celebrate. God didn’t just redeem you from physical bondage; He redeemed you from a lifetime of spiritual slavery. You don’t just have a geographic location to call your own; you have an eternal home in the presence of the One who gives all things meaning and value. You don’t just have favour among other nations; you enjoy fellowship and community among God’s people. You have more than a fixed place where you can go and find God, if you’ve placed your trust in Jesus, God actually lives in you. You’ve been promised an eternity of ever-increasing intimacy with your Creator and other people.
If the people during Solomon’s reign had cause to celebrate, what about you?
Life may be complicated. There may be hardships that come your way. Christians are not exempt from sickness and fatigue. Relationships are tricky. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to. But think about what God has done for you.
Remembrance is the key to celebration. Sometimes it comes easily, other times it’s a discipline. Sometimes, it requires effort on our part. Mostly that effort will be to remember. Remember where you’ve been and give some thought to what it is, exactly, you’ve been redeemed out of. Remember how faithful God has been in the past and what His promises are for the future.
Today tie these two activities together. Remember what God has done and has promised to do, and allow that remembrance to lead you to celebration. You might even want to deepen your celebration by involving others in it.
Go ahead, throw a cookout!
O Lord, give me the wisdom of spiritual remembrance so that I will never take the riches of Your grace and goodness for granted. Remind me to recall all of Your many benefits and blessings over the years and to realize frequently how much You have done for me. You have carried me through difficult passages. You have comforted me in times of despair. You have encouraged me when I was despondent. You have given me hope when all seemed lost. You have blessed me with freedoms, friends and opportunities that I never deserved. As I review Your benefits in the past, let me also reflect on Your process in my present and on Your prospects for my future. In light of all this, I can fully affirm that Your will for me is good and acceptable and perfect. May this gratitude of remembrance give me perspective and peace in the present moment.
In Jesus's name, Amen
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