This is the Day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.
In the Jewish calendar, this is the year 5775. I have to keep reminding myself of this, because I keep on writing 5774 on all my checks. (Old joke--no one writes checks any more, right? I need to get some new material!) The leader of my small group home Bible study is excited about numerology. He says that the number 5 denotes Grace, and the number 7 means favor or completeness. So the numbers associated with this year are double grace, and double favor. What more could we ask of God?
As I am writing this, it is now ten days after Rosh Hashanah, on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. But it is no ordinary Sabbath. No, today (technically beginning at sundown last night) is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. On this day, devout Jews will ask God to forgive their sins, having used the last ten days to purify themselves. The last week and a half was meant, on God's calendar, to identify our shortcomings and think about how we could have done better. Then today, the day of Yom Kippur, is spent in prayer, asking for grace and favor in the coming year.
I know that most of you will not read this on the day it is written. Most of you are not Jewish. That's okay. We are in a new dispensation, under a new covenant--we are not under the Law, but under Grace. So we don't have to wait until a given day to make ourselves right with God and with our fellow man. In the New Testament (which literally means "new covenant"), Hebrews 3:12 and 13 are significant: "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Each day, we are to confess our sins to the Father, so that we do not turn away from Him. Each day, we are to encourage others to faith, to hope, to good works, to the glory of the Father.
Today is also of some significance to me--it is my birthday. I will get calls and texts from close friends and family wishing me well. I will get special Facebook postings from other friends and more distant family members, all with encouraging messages. It is appreciated, and appropriate for this to happen today, on my special day, just as it is appropriate and no doubt appreciated by God when people turn from their sins and seek His face and His forgiveness on this special Sabbath day.
But how much more encouraging is it to receive a kind word, or text, or message on a day that is not set aside for remembrance? If you call someone on a Monday, and just say "Hang in there, Friday's coming," that act of kindness could make all the difference in that person's life. If you send someone a letter or message of encouragement on a random day, it may mean more to them than you know. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more, as you see the Day approaching."
The Bible says that the angels rejoice when a person on earth comes to repentance. God wants to hear from you today--not just on the Day of Atonement, but whenever it is called Today. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "At just the right time I heard you. At just the right time I helped you. Indeed, the right time is now. Today is the day of salvation." There will come a Day when Jesus will return for his flock. Heaven beckons us home; let us not lose hope. God desires fellowship with us, both now and in heaven in the future.
If you gotta start somewhere, why not here?
If you gotta start sometime, why not now?
If we gotta start somewhere, I say here
If we gotta start sometime, I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave
Tonight's the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide
In a beautiful display
It's all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees, oh
If you gotta start somewhere, why not here?
If you gotta start sometime, why not now?
If we gotta start somewhere, I say here
If we gotta start sometime, I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave
Tonight's the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide
In a beautiful display
It's all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees, oh
Tonight couldn't last forever
We are one choice from together
Tonight couldn't last forever, oh
Tonight couldn't last forever
We are one choice from together
Family, we're family
Oh, tonight couldn't last forever
We are one choice from together
You and me
Yeah, you and me
Tonight's the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide in a glorious display
'Cause it's all love tonight when we step across the line
We can sail across the sea to a city with one king
A city on our knees, a city on our knees, oh
A city on our knees, a city on our knees, oh
If we gotta start somewhere, why not here?
If we gotta start sometime, why not now?
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/tobymac/city-on-our-knees-lyrics/#8d7XbMmyv6UD5TDq.99
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