Credit: Southeast Raleigh Table
This daily post is designed to help you live into our New Room Society covenant of practicing daily prayer together. Below is this week’s theme and daily practice.
Week 13: Celebration
Do Jesus people have a reputation as party people?
“Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” Luke 14:15, New Living Translation (NLT)
Why do Christians celebrate?
In the sanctuary there seems to be a fair amount of time spent changing the colors and look or the worship space, getting ready to celebrate one special season or another. In churches where the leaders wear vestments, there’s also a regular changing of stoles, chasubles, or robes in response to the celebrations of the season. The communion meal itself is often referred to as a celebration. Why so much festivity?
And why don’t Jesus people have more of a reputation as party-goers?
Even a brief survey of scripture shows a deep connection between Christian celebrations and gratitude. Not so much a gratitude for the things we have (which is a common cultural message these days), but for the people we are, and for those whom God has called, but has not yet been able to welcome.
The sight of a nearby joyful celebration often awakens a sense of wanting to join in, to be a part of the pleasure and the party. How better to draw the eye of those outside the faith than with our celebrations?
The kingdom of God is a party. How can you be a part of the festivities? How can you invite new leaders of God’s church to do the same?
Sunday: Putting off Celebration
Read the poem “Putting the Good Things Away” from the book The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems With A Jewish Theme, by Marge Piercy.
In what ways have you put off celebrating yourself or your God? What are three things you could do today to celebrate?