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Reflections on lessons learned as the onward journey to the Promised Land takes skillful navigating and traversing of the arduous terrain in the wilderness of the world.
As we anticipate and eagerly delight in attending the Feast of Tabernacles (FOT) each year, we are given circumstances that provide many opportunities to choose righteous godly behaviour. On the other side of the spectrum is the choice to ignore these opportunities and engage in sin. We do have the choice each and every time. Our wonderful loving Father gives us choices, free will, and He is most interested to know what choices we make. Do we resist and overcome our own will and allow God to lead us with His will? Or do we commit the sin of omission? James succinctly sums this up in James 4:17 “Therefore, to Him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin”. That is quite a sobering statement to make and one that should cause us to think carefully and examine what we do.
In Proverbs 8:20 we read “I traverse the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of justice”. Traversing involves skill...the ability to balance, and the ability to engage in righteousness. This may not come naturally initially, but with time and practice, it is like flexing a well worn muscle. Some effort is still made but it involves memory which kicks into action. We know what to do and we do it. This is obedience and it pleases our Father. We can thank God each and every day many times over, and we should for all that He does for us, our family, our brethren, friends, and neighbours. But giving thanks is not enough. It is easy to say the words — but to resist our own human nature and turn from those thoughts and ways — involves strength of character and relying on the Helper, God’s Holy Spirit, to overcome temptation and all that goes along with it.
Returning from the FOT last year was especially challenging due to the sudden and unexpected serious illness my husband endured while overseas (Scarlet Fever). God healed him but he is left with residual effects from neurological damage involving intense burning pain in both feet and ankles. His ability to walk any distance has been affected considerably. All the doctors involved were baffled at the intensity of how the disease process rapidly went through his body. Some thought he may need plastic surgery after the significant wounds healed around both ankles. The infectious disease expert at the hospital was at a loss as to how he acquired the disease and then its eventual disappearance. Some 12 months later we are extremely grateful to God that he is able to walk and function to the degree he does. Medical science cannot explain what happened to him except to say “he is lucky to be alive because he should have died”. It was very sobering to hear those words and realise how closely God protected him. We were very grateful for the love exhibited by our brethren through heartfelt prayers for healing. God definitely heard those prayers and we know that “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
Many of us have faced challenges whilst at the FOT, even before attending through trials and setbacks, and then afterwards, upon returning to our homes. This year sees further challenges. Many are hurting, mourning, suffering from physical and/or emotional pain related to the death of a loved one, hospitalisation, inability to attend the FOT and need to remain at home due to illness and other reasons. Some brethren live in nursing homes and cannot manage the journey. Whatever the circumstance God is observing to see how we react to all, whether at the Feast of Tabernacles or whether at home. Whether we send a card or note, visit those in prison, in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, or if we helped in any way with practical help.
It would be good to remember what Jesus says in Matthew 25:40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren. You did it to me’”. The least of brethren seems to indicate those whom we perceive may not be able to return the same help due to poorer circumstances. Perhaps it could also include the brethren that we may not know well, or those we do not speak to for one reason or another. We need to rectify this immediately. How can one truly rejoice at the Feast if one is conditional with their giving of love and time to others? Did Jesus withhold love to anyone? We know the answer to this...of course He did not...He loved all. Perhaps that is the exact lesson some are to learn now. To learn to love those who may have treated you without due care or even quite insensitively. The enemy delights in brethren thinking their brothers and sisters are the problem when we know it is his interference with attitudes and communication in order to divide and conquer. Be forever watchful and resolve to not let anything offend you, even if someone walks away from you when you reach out to them and start talking. Yes, that is very hurtful to experience.
The Evidence of Love Through Obedience
Remember the passage in 1 John 4:20-21 “If someone says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him: that he who loves God must love his brother also”.
Clearly we do not understand love at all if we do not love ALL our brethren. We must not show partiality but be all inclusive. God is not a respecter of persons and neither should we be as we grow to emulate Christ (Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34).
We will find that we relate more to some than others, and that is normal and fine. What is not fine is to deliberately avoid people, speak to them rudely, walk away, ignore them or pretend they are not there. How do you think God feels when He sees this? He is not weak like us but He would be disappointed. Imagine disciples who are insensitive and only prepared to love some, not all. John 13:35 tells us “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”.
Let us all get with the programme, God’s programme and truly love one another. Perhaps you may have issues with an individual. Examine why this is so. Do you really know them? Get to know them. Spend time with them. Do not listen to gossip from others and there is plenty out there to ruin reputations of brethren who have done no wrong. Give them the benefit of the doubt until and IF they prove to you that they cannot be trusted with your friendship. Do not rely on hearsay or opinions of others. Maybe you will not ever be close friends and yet you will still need to love them. Begin by praying and eventually you will have your thoughts changed because God will help you to love them.
Transitioning Back Into Our Mini Kingdoms
When The Feast is over we will all travel home again and pick up where we left off prior to our travels. Can we honestly take a good, long, hard look at ourselves and say we have loved all our brethren whether in prayer or during our conversations while face to face which were full of agape love throughout our interactions? Were needs of others seen and filled? Did you give eye contact to each person who walked by and offer a smile, hello, and a sincere how are you, to engage in conversation? Did you notice anyone sitting on their own looking lonely? Were you the one to go to them and offer a friendly ear? In all the ways one can serve at the Feast, how did you do? Only you can answer this. God saw every single thing you did. He heard every word you spoke. He certainly knew every thought you had, whether for good or for evil.
The greatest gift YOU can give another is LOVE. Your time in prayers for their safety and protection, help in a particular circumstance, with family, or work. The thing is, we cannot pray effectively unless we KNOW them. So hurry up and get to know them. There is no time to lose. What are you waiting for? Before we know it Passover will come around and you will not have examined yourself thoroughly.
We all need to carefully heed the following words and then get out there and live them. As James says in James 1:22 “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”. Could you be deceiving YOURSELF?
This is where the true test is. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing”.
Do NOT be nothing. Be SOMETHING. Be the change you need to be and LOVE each and every single member of God's church because you will not be able to have the love of many as a first-fruit if you cannot love the few now.
If we do not have love for one another we are engaging in sin which is lawlessness. Remember the twqo great commandments, love for God, and love for others. This is a very serious matter — life or death. Here are Christ’s words in Matthew 7:21-23 for due consideration “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practise lawlessness!”
It is now time to examine ourselves fully, repent and turn from our sinful ways and earnestly heed God’s word in order to love ALL our brethren. Not just the loveable people but especially the harder to love individuals. It seems appropriate that the Feast of Tabernacles and The Last Great Day is such a time to show God how we do love others as this time pictures His coming Kingdom. Determine in your hearts that you will overcome any weaknesses in this area so that next year’s Feast of Tabernacles will truly reflect the foretaste of God’s soon coming Kingdom by doing exactly as God commands us in Leviticus 23:40 and Deuteronomy 16:14. That is to REJOICE, and we know now that we cannot rejoice like we are commanded to unless we love ALL our brethren, our spiritual family in preparation for the rest of the God family.