Everyday Rhythms Of Life

What are the everyday rhythms of life?  It's simple.  God in his infinite wisdom created everything including us, and he set in order the rhythms by which his creation would dance. We have been studying together at West Valley what our IDENTITY(who we are) really is--family--worshippers--servants--missionaries.  I want to now begin to explore God's RHYTHMS(how we live) and see how our IDENTITY(who we are) is lived out in the regular RHYTHMS(how we live) of life.  I will post a new rhythm throughout the week.

Celebrate:  God commands his people to celebrate often.  All throughout God's story he sets up celebration as a regular rhythm of life for his people.  Ezek. 45:21 ¶ h“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten Luke 15:32 It was fitting eto celebrate and be glad, for this your brother iwas dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

1Cor. 5:8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, hnot with the old leaven, ithe leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jer. 30:19 oOut of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,

and the voices of those who celebrate.

pI will multiply them, and they shall not be few;

I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. 

Now consider what it would look like if you were (and you are) a family member in the household of God, a worshipper, a servant, and a missionary who regularly celebrates. Just think how often God does something in our lives and instead of celebrating we simply move on to the next thing to stress over until we experience his provision again--and the crazy cycle continues.  We can only celebrate to the glory of God as we remember his faithfulness in the past as we celebrate in the present looking forward to his faithful provision in the future.  So true celebration involves looking backward and forward.  

Ex. 12:17 And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for yon this very day I brought your zhosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. 

Next time you are thankful--celebrate.  Invite anyone, and open up your home to celebrate. This was a way the children of Israel were to be a light to the gentiles.  Serve the Lord with gladness and stop being a stress monger!  Celebration is to be a regular rhythm of life!

Next time you throw a birthday party think of why you are celebrating.  Something we do is pray before the candle blowing and thank God for his faithful provision and love of our children.  This not only ministers to my boys but it melts the fear out of my own heart.  There is probably a million ways celebration can be redeemed in our culture.