Welcome to Teshuvah Elul 12

Day Twelve

September/Elul
Twelfth day Of this season
I’m beginning to understand
Teshuvah has deep reason

This kingdom work
Has created a stir
But I’m more than excited
Yet exhausted for sure

Working together
Side by side with Him
My Teshuvah Experience
Is like a spiritual gym

This work is rewarding
Though hard and dusty
We are breaking new ground
Never feels unjustly

He said we can talk later
About what seeds to sow
But continue to prepare my field
Or my harvest won’t show

 

© laurette laster

An appointed time, A time to turn, to ‘Shuv’ and a time to Return, to do the works of Teshuvah.

This is a time to repent, denounce evil or wrong thinking, offer up prayers, and do acts of kindness.

I remember when I realized and knew it was The Lord, when finally all the longing, and deep sadness made sense. Some explain this as seasonal depression but I beg to differ and if I may I want to challenge your thinking.

When I realized that the emptiness and deep sadness I felt was actually the desire of His heart longing for me to return and surrender to Him I got it. I didn’t know I had left, how could I know? I never understood that there was more. I thought you accepted the Lord and then tried to be good enough to get into heaven.

Oh how I had lost my way? It wasn’t just a season, the season of summer ending and the coming of fall. It isn’t just an earthly season; it is an appointed time, His Mo’ed. He is beckoning to us and we must listen for the still small voice and answer Him. With other chatter and voices of deception in our lives, we can miss His voice and the time of appointment or not understand what is happening.

I was sensing and feeling the heart of the Lord. Do you find yourself with a feeling or a longing that is unexplainable? Guess what? He has you in His day timer. Don’t miss your appointed time.

I kind of knew about Him, but I didn’t “know” Him. I didn’t know He cared about my earthly plight or that I was sowing and reaping. I didn’t know He had a plan…..I didn’t know I had a part in the plan……..but then I knew,

Yes it was Him. It was Jesus; The Lord was saying return to Me. You were lost but now you’re found. I want to teach you how to sow from My seeds so you can reap righteousness. I want to help you plow under every evil plan and every lie the enemy has had over your life. Then I repented of my ignorance and the rest is His story and it is still being written.

We cannot reap a new or a different harvest simply by sowing new seeds among old stuff. No farmer would ever offer this advice or support this practice. Picture if you would for a moment, a harvested field full of stalks and debris, and now see yourself scattering seeds throughout the field. If a few of the seeds grow and do make it how would they be harvested? How could you get them out? This is what it is like, when we think next year will be better without any reflections on what is causing the repetition of the patterns in our lives.

If we do not dig old stuff up by the roots, we can be certain of one thing, our harvest will not change.

Don’t miss this season of repentance.

Teshuvah, it is my favorite time of the year.

“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before. Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting.” (Joel 2:12-15 NLT)

 

Teshuvah is the Hebrew word assigned to the 40 days preceding Yom Kippur, the Day of the Covering or Atonement. Originally, it only comprised the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Days of Awe). But Jewish tradition extended this time of repentance that all might come to the place of salvation.

Look at the Hebrew: Teshuvah – The root word is the Hebrew “shoov” which means to return. It combines both aspects of forgiveness: turning from evil and turning toward good. The Jews make restitution during this period with those they have offended. Ridding oneself of guilt is a goal of Teshuvah. Repentance, however, only applies to transgressions committed against God. To receive forgiveness from offenses committed against fellow man, compensation must be made and a plea for forgiveness.

 

I was feelin’ that, feelin’ that breeze

Singin’ like a song thru the tall oak trees

It was just another summer night

Had to be the last thing on my mind

Yeah, I was all but lost in the moment

I was young and runnin’ wide open

It was just another summer night

Had to be the last thing on my mind

———————-

When love broke thru

You found me in the darkness

Wanderin’ thru the desert

I was a hopeless fool

Now I’m hopelessly devoted

My chains are broken

And it all began with You

When love broke thru

And it all began with You

When love broke thru

I did all that I could to undo me

But You loved me enough to pursue me

Yeah, You drew me out of the shadows

Made me believe that I mattered, to You (You)

You were there, You heard my prayer in that broke down dusty room

It was the first time I said, “I’m Yours”

The first time I called You Lord

When love broke thru

You found me in the darkness

Wanderin’ thru the desert

I was a hopeless fool

Now I’m hopelessly devoted

My chains are broken

And it all began with You

When love broke thru

And it all began with You

When love broke thru

 

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette