Category: Religion

I love her because she has convictions and isn’t afraid to speak her mind in front of others. 

Well, our home improvements are done including our replaced fence and patio covering.  Our dog Dillon is especially happy about this because he no longer has to be chained in the back yard. 
It’s been fun watching him run all over the yard, up and down the fence line, sniffing, hunting, barking.  He is a dog full of wonder as he is experiencing a freedom that he has been without for several months.  As I observe him in his newfound playground, it seems as if he is experiencing the outdoors for the first time.  He truly is a wonderdog who has reclaimed his space.
His experience reminds me of times that I have been filled with wonder for God’s creation, His lavish provision, and His unconditional love and acceptance.  Unfortunately for me, I have failed to experience this much of my life because I was chained up in God’s backyard.  The difference is, I was the one who put the collar around my neck and fastened it to the chain.
I’ve come to realize, though not overnight, that "wonder" is very important to God.  It’s the primary reason for sabbath.  We might assume that sabbath is exclusive to "not working", but I believe that it is especially a time for us to "take in" God’s "labor fruits", and mostly to remove the distractions, of which there are many and not limited to our jobs.  I can imagine after a week of animal naming, planting,and cultivating, that Adam and Eve enjoyed their sabbath along with God.  They took the time to take in the beauty and wonder of His creation and of course God himself. 
So what are those distractions that keep us from enjoying God?  Of course, our jobs can be a primary obstacle, but what about our personal distractions?  I know I feel a sort of insanity as thousands of things race through my mind throughout the day, things I need to do short term and long term, worries about the future, preoccupation with how others are observing their "sabbath", and the list seemingly goes on. 
Don’t just think by taking a day off from work, or not mowing your yard on Sunday qualifies as sabbath observance.  Also, let’s not limit sabbath to a single day.  While a day devoted to sabbath is preferred, maybe it’s time we take "mini-sabbaths" more frequently.  Just to get alone in silence and solitude (that means we need to shut up too), and give God the chance to speak to us without chasing every little idea and thought much the way Dillon chases every little moving creature in the backyard.  By doing so, we remove the self-imposed chains that we previously thought served us well, and take a Dillon-prance into a wonder-filled and adventurous world that has always been there.  You might say, in our own backyard!

In reading "The Spirit of the Disciplines" by Dallas Willard, I’m in the chapter dealing with various disciplines.  They are generally divided up into one of two categories:  Disciplines of abstinence and disciplines of engagement.  Abstinence would pertain to disciplines such as fasting, solitude, silence, frugality, chastity, secrecy, sacrifice and the disciplines of engagement would include study, prayer, worship, service, fellowship, celebration, confession, and submission. 

When reading of the discipline of celebration, did you know that God wants us to party and celebrate as long as it is "in conjunction with our faith and confidence in God’s greatness, beauty, and goodness" Willard states. 
So you’re saying, "really? OK, where does the boozin’ come in?"  Whoa, NELLIE!  Tap on the brakes, but not too hard.
We see in Deuteronomy 14 the instructions regarding what to do with their "tithe".  There tithe was primarily made up of produce, and they were to gather it up and carry it to the city (Jerusalem), for a big party!  That’s right! A party!  A celebration of their King (Yahweh, God). 
The problem for some people, was that they lived way too far from the city and had too much to carry, which brings us to these instructions found in verse 25: "then you may turn it into money.  With the money secure in hand, go to the place where the Lord your God will choose; 26 spend the money for whatever you wish – oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire.  And you shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your household rejoicing together.

Now, I didn’t say all that to say "get drunk in Jesus’ name".  The strong drink is not the point, but the "Celebration" is!  In America, God has blessed us materially although we think we earned it by our own effort and sweat.  Last time I checked, we didn’t get to choose which country to be born in, or to which parents, etc. 
No matter how we come to our "riches", God is the sole provider for all we have.  God doesn’t want Christians in America to sell all their possessions and start following Him.  I believe he wants us to follow Him in spite of our wealth, and to reach others for him with the help of our wealth and blessings!

Look in verse 23 of chapter 14, "that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always."  That’s the Point of celebration!

I was thinking, "how can celebration and partying be a discipline when my flesh loves doing it so much"? 

Maybe the discipline is not in the celebration but in the recognition of WHO we celebrate and WHY.