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Seeds of the Kingdom

Commanded to Celebrate!

by Linda Fode

13 October 2008

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And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.
Deuteronomy 14: 23-25, NKJV

In Canada, on the second Monday in October, we celebrate a holiday called ‘Thanksgiving Day’. Next to Christmas it’s the most important holiday of the year. In Western Canada it’s the least commercial, most spiritual holiday of the year. The crops are in, the land at rest, colors vivid, yet winter is only weeks away. It’s about family; about feasting; about ‘remembering’. We often travel long distances to gather for this day. For generations in our family it has truly been a ‘holy day’.

Holy days celebrated with family and feasting were so important to the Father that He commanded them in Deuteronomy 12, 14 and 26. For two out of every three years He commanded that the tithe be spent on whatever their hearts desired and be enjoyed with their household.

Why? So we would learn to fear the Lord. This is an awareness of the goodness of God; His longing to bless us; to remember His Presence with us and Provision for us.

Often we see the commands of God as restrictive; maybe even principles to avoid punishment or to appease Him. Perhaps we grew up with the rule ‘Don’t make dad mad! ’ and holidays were often times of high stress, fear and tension. We may have transferred that fear to our beliefs about Father God. We miss the joy of relationship with Him and He misses the joy of watching us celebrate life.

Thought for Action: For one meal today, eat whatever your heart desires; eat with a friend; a family member or even a stranger and be thankful for all God provides and blesses you with.

Prayer: With great joy and freedom today Father, I choose to celebrate and remember with a thankful heart. Amen

Linda Fode and her husband Allen were the founding directors of Ellel Ministries Canada West. They stepped down from that position in October 2012. Linda’s passion is to mentor people in their relationship with the Father and to release them into their destiny in God.

 

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