Season of Our Joy 1

I am always amazed at the way God blesses me.  To be sure sometimes he has blessed me by not giving what I asked.  But so often he does exactly what I need.  My camp out this year was an amazing time of blessing and interaction with my God.  I will be posting for several days instead of all in one blog.  There is just so much I want to journal and document while it is fresh.  I hope you will be blessed to travel on this virtual adventure with me.

This year, so far, has been a very stressful year and as I get older, that becomes harder on me physically, spiritually and emotionally.  God is my strength.  Wisdom is my health.  But I still struggle to keep my balance of ‘trust’ and ‘do it’.

In September I decided that I would extend the time at Petit Jean for the fall campout to a week for rest, reflection and renewal.  I prayed about it and made reservations for the extra days.  I kept thinking, “I should be praying more, I should be preparing myself better for this time.”  Oh, but God. . . !

About a week before I was going, I realized that the week I would be there would coincide with what is often referred to as “The Feast of Tabernacles” but is called “Sukkot” by those who observe it.  I knew I didn’t know enough and wasn’t prepared enough to really observe it in a literal sense, but I felt compelled to learn and submit my mind and spirit to it.  I began to research and make plans.  I would take my hot box along so I could do more when I got there.  I was excited about this time of discovery, though I had no real clue where it would take me.

The first thing I found was the definition of the festival: “The season of our joy.” “The ingathering.” It was observed after harvest.  Sukkot means temporary shelters, sometimes called booths.  The next is that it is inclusive.  Gentiles were invited to participate.  Though I have a Jewish heritage, I have been raised as a non-Jew. Oh yes, we did attend some Jewish events when I was a teen, but mostly as outsiders.  So I felt encouraged to participate to the level I could.

I was a bit discouraged that I would need to spend most of the first day, which should be a day of rest and worship, getting ready and going and then setting up.  But I was directed to Nehemiah 8.  v8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

The people of Israel had been living in captivity for 70 years.  For that time they had not gathered or celebrated or worshipped as a nation.  When they heard the words of the law and realized their disobedience and neglect, they began to mourn.  But Ezra stopped them.  “It’s time to celebrate a week of thanksgiving.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

And so in this mindset, I set off on Monday for Petit Jean Mountain for a week of discovery and celebration.  Just as we completed setting up our tent and heating up our supper, we heard a shofar.  Shortly after, chanting and then singing began-enthusiastic singing and clapping.  I could see in my mind’s eye dancing as well.  Louis said “I want to walk around there and see what’s going on.”  But after supper, we cleaned away the dishes, put things into animal safe places and prepared to go to bed. At the bathhouse, I met a lady and in a few minutes I found that the music had come from their area.  She was with a messianic group that was staying for a full week and a day.  They had the entire cul-de-sac behind us.  She apologized for any disturbance, to which I replied that we loved it and I myself was investigating the ‘Feast’ during the time I was waiting on the rest of my group to come in for the weekend.  After some discussion, we parted ways and I was again amazed at the provision of my Father.