Days of Awe

Faith is an extremely personal thing. Thus, it has not been my custom to discuss matters of faith here on Sweet Freedom’s Song. I feel impelled to do so now. Times change. Perspectives change.

According to the Jewish calendar, the day before yesterday (sunset Wednesday to sunset yesterday) was Rosh Hashanah (or Yom Teru’ah). I realize I’m rather late to be sending “Shanah Tovah” greetings to my Jewish friends, but I’ve just been so immersed in prayer, introspection, and scripture reading (and trips to Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue for Erev Rosh Hashanah last night and Rosh Hashanah today) that this is the first significant opportunity I’ve had in days to get online.

Rosh Hashanah is also the first day of Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”, or the High Holy Days). The “Days of Awe” last for ten days, with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) being the tenth and last day; this is the time of year around which the entire Jewish spiritual year revolves.

The eight days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also significant. For most Jews, this is a time to reflect upon one’s conduct over the past year and atone for any sins that have been committed. For those of us in the Messianic community, the Messiah is our atonement, but we still dedicate these “Days of Awe” to humbling ourselves before God Almighty, diligently searching our hearts for sin (pride, envy, avarice, etc.) and praying earnestly to be made new creatures through the Holy Spirit so that we may be ever more faithful and obedient to Him.

Personally, I am taking all of this with the utmost seriousness. God has been so good to me over my whole life and I am now beginning to get a fuller grasp of how meaningful that is. The gratitude I feel for my salvation is overwhelming and if that was the only thing God ever did for me I would be in utter awe of the fullness of His perfect Love and Grace. But God has done so much more for me. Anyone who knows my story knows already the circuitous path that God has led me to bring me back into fellowship with His people. That, alone, ought to be miraculous enough to satisfy anyone’s circumspection. But even now, God is actively molding and shaping me; guiding me, correcting me, and instructing me in His ways. Praise His Holy Name!

And so, I just want to take a moment and ask those of you who are in submission to God: do you feel your submission every day? Do you go to your knees every day, humbling yourself before Him, seeking Him? Do you read scripture every day? Do you have a driving passion within your heart to know Him better today than you knew Him yesterday? Do you yearn to know His will so that you can hasten to obey Him? Does your daily life revolve around Him?

This isn’t a test. I’m not looking for responses. Your relationship with God is your own. But it seems to me that, if there are literally many, many millions of people around the world that believe in God, the overwhelming majority of those many, many millions don’t seem to have much more than an obligatory or dutiful relationship with Him.

So, I’m going to give some tough love here. If you are one of those many, many millions who do believe in God and your worship consists of a weekly appointment where you sing some songs, pray along with your priest, rabbi, elder, pastor, or what-have-you, get a bit of doctrinal instruction, socialize a little, then can’t wait to get back home so you can “watch the game”, “get started on laundry”, or whatever else you do when you get back home and that’s your ‘duty done’, then shame on you. Seriously! Shame on you! What are you doing? More importantly, who are you serving?

Now, I’m no rabbi. I’m not a priest or a pastor, either. And certainly I’m the last one to have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to talking about taking one’s spiritual life with far too large a grain of salt. But I think that’s why this is so much on my heart, because I’ve walked this path and I know where it leads.

Are these the End Times? I don’t know. None of us knows.

Are these difficult times? There’s no question about it – yes.

Regardless, these times require that people of faith be strong, steady, and reliable; faithful and obedient to God – and in this world that’s REALLY HARD. Are you feeling tested? Good! That means that God has plans for you! He needs the particular individual skills and talents that He placed within you when He created you. But He needs you humble. He needs you willing. He needs you ready and able. That is why God provides us with adversity, to help us grow. If we’re not spending every single day in prayer, reading scripture, meditating on Him, seeking Him, then we’re putting ourselves on the sidelines and in effect telling God that we don’t care what He wants for us. I’m begging you, PLEASE don’t do that!

Take it from me, a man who has probably discovered more ways than you can imagine to waste one’s life. Stop. Take a moment and assess the things that constitute your daily life. The things you do every day, that’s what you are. You give time to the things that are most important to you. Please learn from my mistakes. Make God the most important thing in your life. Today and every single day. Change your life. Starting right now. It is not too late. Even if you have to tear your whole life apart, tear it down and rebuild it putting God in the center. Pray throughout the day. Immerse yourself in scripture. Humble yourself before God. Show Him your faithfulness; give Him your trust. He will reward you more than you can imagine. But don’t do it for rewards the world will recognize. Do it because deep down you really do love Him and you want Him to be more present in your life. I promise – it won’t be easy, but you won’t be sorry.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:6