Ever done one of those “read through the Bible in a year” programs? I think that in general, the reason people use those schedules is because there’s no way they’d ever spontaneously be inspired to read Leviticus or Numbers. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a sermon out of either of those books in my entire life. No one really enjoys reading all about the how-tos of cleansing oneself from bodily discharges, the various required offerings, or all the laws regarding how to pay a man back if his bull falls into a pit on your property. It’s not terribly fascinating except to religious extremists who like to use the scriptures on sexual sin as hate messages.
But as I’ve pondered this series on Celebration, I am struck by what a partier God is! In the midst of all of those laws and detailed regulations, God lays out seven specific feasts, annual holidays for the Israelites to celebrate. I’ve generally viewed God as joyful and as One who delights in His children, but I’ve never paid much attention to how much emphasis He places on celebration. Not only are there the seven annual feasts, but the Sabbath is laid out as a mandatory weekly celebration, as well as “sabbatical years” every seven years, and the Year of Jubilee every fifty years. I’m not going to delve into any of these specific celebrations as I’m totally unqualified to share any kind of insight, except to note the sheer volume of celebration that God has provided for. If there are that many required feasts and days of rest and fellowship, celebration must be of extraordinary significance to humanity. Celebration is a great portion of what we were made for.
Another observation I noted was the fact that these celebrations are mixed in with all the other regulatory scriptures and laws. They were a reward for obedience to God’s laws as well as an act of obedience in and of themselves. Obedience is an integral part of Celebration. In Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline, he states that “In the spiritual life only one thing will produce genuine joy, and that is obedience…To elicit genuine celebration, obedience must work itself into the ordinary fabric of our daily lives. Without that our celebrating carries a hollow sound.” He also states, “God’s normal means of bringing his joy is by redeeming and sanctifying the ordinary junctures of human life…we will not know genuine joy until there is a transforming work within us. Many people try to come into joy far too soon. Often we try to pump up people with joy when in reality nothing has happened in their lives. God has not broken into the routine experiences of their daily existence. Celebration comes when the common ventures of life are redeemed.”
Obedience is where we begin the process of celebration. Obedience is tough. It seems that we either tend to blindly follow others, be they peers, political authorities or other leaders, or we take the independent route that we are going to “follow our own heart” to ensure that we are not controlled by others. Obedience to God does not come so naturally. It is more than a struggle, it is an all-out internal war. But as someone who struggles with depression, if obedience is truly the key to joy, then it is a battle worth waging with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Last night, I confessed to our small group that I struggle a great deal with being motivated to read the Word on a daily basis, and because my prayers feel like they’ve been falling flat lately, I’ve just given up on prayer as well. But I know that giving up is not the answer. These amazing women all came up to me after group was over and said they’d like to get in on a study together. Strength in numbers, right? My husband is also starting a 30 day study of his own. This is one small step toward more obedience being enacted in our lives, even though there’s a much longer journey ahead.
Is there an area in your own life where you feel you need to respond with obedience to God? It’s not easy, but it is the path to joy, it is the journey of celebration.
