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Have you ever had an "out of this world" experience? I know I have. Thinking about attending my first Feast of Tabernacles (FOT) festival back in 2007 which happened to be in Tasmania — the little island at the bottom of the continent of Australia, also known as the apple isle, it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced in my whole life. Singing "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" on The Last Great Day (The LGD which immediately comes straight after the FOT so they coincide back to back, and is also known as the eighth day), while choked up and fighting back tears, it was rather memorable to say the least and something I don't think I will ever forget. If you would like to see and hear this sung by a virtual choir from around the globe then here is a link to click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UoKyL12I90
Of course we know we live in the world but come to soon realise we are separate to the ways of this world for they are not presently God's ways (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Going to my first FOT was an incredible time, so much so that I did not want to return home again and resume regular life. Despite being very busy with shift work and being a single mother, I came to have what is known as post Feast blues. The blues were only relieved by attending the weekly Sabbath service but then they would return again. This was really hard for me and it took quite a while to get over the blues as this reality was not what I wanted for my life at all. My free will choices had consequences which involved divorce and the pain associated with that. By contrast the Feast was magnificent, the fellowship, the camaraderie, the love and joy, soaking up all the messages about what the wonderful world tomorrow would be like which became known to me as the millennium after Christ returns to earth, the excitement of being with others of like-mind, were all so amazingly fresh and new experiences which, to my mind, were absolutely phenomenally incredible. This first "taste" of what God's soon coming Kingdom will be like strongly whetted my keen desire to learn more and to this day has developed into a real ongoing thirst. The beautiful words in Psalm 42:1-2 "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…" words indeed which so many of us relate to.
Our "first love" is so powerful and definitely needs to be cherished, savoured, and developed by working on keeping it healthy and intact. After a while it was time to look forward to the next annual festival in God's great plan for mankind which made things much easier to cope with. Then there came the next FOT which gave me "feast fever" and this was the most welcome fever of all! Anticipation is something we can appreciate for those of us who get so much joy out of it by planning, thinking, and meditating on various aspects which, in turn, keep our minds alert, responsive, and heighten our connection with God in prayer while nurturing our first love. This love is referred to in various scriptures throughout the Bible especially when we are warned not to abandon it or treat it casually without reverence as in Revelation 2:4 and through the lamenting proclamation of God's "weeping prophet" in Jeremiah 2:2.
Out of this world is exactly what we experience while at the Feast of Tabernacles (seven days) and The Last Great Day (one day), totalling eight days. Then there is the travelling involved which usually adds another 2-3 days depending on whether we drive interstate or fly overseas. One time I just happened to be the last person leaving the venue where most of us stayed in their accommodation and attended daily services onsite in their hall. As I sat in the foyer waiting for a driver to take me to the airport I could hear the staff talk about all those who had just kept "this Feast of Tabernacles thing". They spoke in glowing terms about our behaviour, how positive we were, considerate and polite, and commented that they will miss this. The point is they are part of the world but noticed a difference and really appreciated a small taste of being around others who live by God's rules. Those concerned may keep these things in mind and most likely remember them after they are resurrected and will be interesting to teach. As we realise, our example is just so important and nothing is wasted by what we say and do.
This year of 2023 will be my seventeenth FOT, God willing, and for the very first time as soon as feast fever delightfully surfaced it was taken away each and every time by many events which acutely reminded us of just how fleeting life can be and how dependent we are on God. Since May 1st the trials began in earnest and, as time passed moving ever closer to the group of four holy days of Trumpets, Atonement, FOT, and TLGD, both minor and major trials came more numerously and in increasingly quick succession. They continue, but we are determined to do whatever we can in our limited power to attend to all of it so that we will be at this year's feast. Simply put, with God we know that we are protected and supported and it is only by His help that we can overcome any trial. As we hold onto positive mindsets despite the barrage of one thing after another, we find that we keep saying "what's next"? We have actually lost count now because they come almost daily piling up and threatening to overcome and engulf us. Yet we have the most important knowledge to keep us going — God is with us and for us (Isaiah 41:10) and we have our blessed faith.
The week we have just lived through has been a big week for us just like the previous couple of weeks as acute on top of chronic illness set in for my husband, requiring rushing him to our nearest hospital (25 km away going 100 km/hour for most of the way) after controlling his huge nasal haemorrhage (epitaxis) which took almost an hour of constant firm pressure. It happened again only 3 days later, but the first major bleed occurred on the Sabbath morning! Never saw that one coming and I kept asking "why does this have to happen on our beloved Sabbath? Any other day of the week would be better but there must be a reason we do not know about yet. God knows what He is doing and one day we will find out. This time it is my turn, however my surgery had been scheduled and it was a calm and steady drive just over an hour to the hospital. This may well be the first admission of two, and if the biopsy results prove serious then the next operation will just have to wait until after the FOT, for God not only must come first but my heart wants Him to come first and that is encouraging progress (Deuteronomy 6:5, Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:37). Despite what may happen God has once again given me great peace and comfort to cope with the outcome. How incredibly loving and merciful is our God to provide us with the opportunity to attend to the "ox in the ditch", meaning genuine emergencies on the Sabbath, for which we are truly grateful (Luke 14:5).
Perhaps there will be a year when we will not be able to travel and attend the FOT and TLGD. This is a nightmarish thought to me, but what is even worse is the state of mind that may be tempted to justify the non-attendance because of whatever issue it is. Let that never be so amongst us. As we age and develop a series of conditions such as feeling exhausted, worn out, joints not working as they once did, aches and pains almost crippling on standing, it would be so easy to think we could stay home and attend any service online but that is not why they are available. As of September 12th my General Practitioner (GP) advised me of the results from recent ultrasound and x-rays revealing that my left hip is now affected by Trochanteric Bursitis. Now I know why I am struggling with movement. This is all part of developing perseverance and patience, necessary skills for God's soon coming Kingdom. Put in perspective this is nothing when compared to what some of the faithful endured (Hebrews 11).
Even a hard week at work could be used as justification for opting out of travelling long distances to stay home. The thing is any and every holy day of God's is not an optional thing to do with as we feel or see fit. God's holy days are all commanded assemblies and there is no doubt God desires us there with all His heart. Do we have God's way firmly etched on the tablet of our heart? (Jeremiah 31:33, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 8:10). We must not entertain these thoughts to have extended rest when we need to be there as our fellowship is of paramount importance. Contagious disease and debilitating illness is of course something that will have to keep us home and while not what we would choose, nevertheless it must be done. Any time sickness that needs to be quarantined has prevented me from attending I have felt not just sad and disappointed, but deeply upset as if a tragedy has occurred. It definitely felt strangely foreign and alien to stay home each Sabbath during the COVID debacle. This was actually quite depressing for me and many others.
Just the other day thoughts came to me about Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of food (Genesis 25:29-34). It was then that it became evident that missing the FOT and TLGD, or any of God's holy days for that matter, due to selfish reasons, not genuine reasons, would mirror the tragedy of what Esau did. Amazingly, this had not ever occurred to me before. To us, Esau's example was obviously wrong and such an ungrateful, flippant reaction to appease his hunger which was fleetingly temporary. He gave his inheritance away and then became very bitter about it with a prideful and unrepentant heart. Do we associate or see any similarities here that could trip us up like the seeming subtlety of staying home just once…or twice…or only when WE THINK it is needed? When we place God first in our life it is always about what He says, not what our faulty human reasoning tempts us with.
Extreme fatigue needs to be assessed and looked at to ensure we are not overloaded and use the Sabbath or any holy day to opt out. It may seem a temporary needed fix but it could also be the start of a slide into what one thinks is best for self rather than what God says is best. This is something to think about and realign faulty carnal human reasoning in order to get away from what the devil would like you to do. Sight unseen he dangles his poisonous carrots until some reach out for what they think sounds like a good solution but it could very well be the beginning of the end of your spiritual life, your salvation and inheritance. We must not succumb to any of his temptations using our weaknesses to develop thoughts of justification. Instead we keep Jeremiah 17:9 firmly at the forefront of our minds.
Maybe it is time one may need to re-examine how much of a load to take on the six days we can work? After working shift work every day except for on the Sabbath, I dropped working each Friday and found a few creative ways to financially manage by removing "wants". This gave me a preparation day which made all the difference in order to be somewhat refreshed so that the Sabbath could be observed respectfully without wanting to fall asleep during the sermon on hot afternoons in summer time. It also gave me adequate time to prepare all those things that need doing calmly without panicking thoughts of "will I get it all done in time before the sun sets?" Recognise all these spiritual warfare tactics to resist and overcome. Get to the FOT any way you can and swallow your pride, humble yourself, speak to your Pastor, accept help, do all you can in prayer to God for He will make a way for you. It takes faith and trust, belief as if it is as good as done. That is living faith. Meanwhile, as part of edification and encouragement, may I suggest that you please listen to these sermons from the links below as they are rich with wisdom from God for our benefit and growth, and delve deeper into why we must attend every holy day. We all definitely need constant reminders to come out of this world and check daily that we are where we should be by examining everything we do and the reasons behind our decisions. Now, let us prepare to attend "The Feast" and heartily rejoice because it will be the last for some of us.
https://www.ucg.org/sermons/a-summons-to-appear
https://www.ucg.org/sermons/why-the-holy-days
https://www.ucg.org/sermons/i-am-the-lord-your-god