Greetings in the name of the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus Christ – THE Crucified and Risen Saviour! Happy October 1st to you! What a beautiful morning! …and we are ready to begin a month that is going to bring changes into our lives in so many ways. I trust that you are getting excited about a new ‘spiritual season’. I will be praying for you today, asking Father to reveal the importance of making good choices.
We have begun a new year, according to the Hebraic calendar, and are in a 10 day period called the “Days of Awe” – the High and Holy Days. They began one week ago with Rosh Hashanah and will end with Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. They Jewish people believe that during this time God opens three books in heaven: the book of the completely righteous, the book of the wicked, and the book of the middle where people can affect their future judgement. During these days one can make choices about their attitudes and words and actions that will bring God’s mercy and grace close to them.
There are many people in that middle ground who are living lives of anger, resentment, and utter depression…people who refuse to be grateful, kind, loving, and forgiving…people who seem to be wasting their life, who refuse to give life a chance. Now according to tradition during the Days of Awe, these people can choose hope, faith, obedience, kindness, forgiveness, and to embrace God by embracing others. I don’t know about you, but for me it conjures up ‘awe-some’ images of a God who through Moses said: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God…Deuteronomy 30:19, 20a NIV.
Starting at sundown Friday until sundown Saturday – the Day of Atonement allows what a person was to be put away so that they can be “at-one-ment” with God. A traditional greeting between Jewish people is: “May you be sealed in the Book of Life!”
Be blessed!