Welcome to Teshuvah Elul 26
Return to Me says The Lord and I will return to you. May we return will pure passion.
Elul twenty six
This month fast coming to an end
Oh be still my heart
We are staying close to Him
Becoming one with Him
I’m more in love than I ever imagined
I am my Beloveds My Beloved is mine
My renewed heart is gladdened
This love we share
He said is never ending
I’ll be His faith farming girl
In His vineyard my time spending
Watching over our harvest
And warding off attacks
He is my King Shepherd
I shall not lack
The harvest is ripe
He said the laborers are few
We’re meeting tomorrow
He ask me to invite you
© laurette laster
Don’t miss your appointment
When we are around someone who is in love with The Lord we can sense the feeling our self. Then seeing that it is true love we long to share in an intimacy all our own. There is only one thing that hinders this flow of love, sin and/or rebellion. As believers any un-confessed sin is a barrier to the love God is longing to cover us in. The love He has for us is a never ending current or flow. God doesn’t create the barrier, our choosing a lifestyle of sin or willful disobedience takes His place our lives and in our hearts, and crowds God out.
My husband, Greg, is a master electrician and an electrical contractor. A couple of days ago, during a teaching we discussed coming in contact with a downed power line carrying live voltage. When seeing a power line we are to assume that it is hot or transmitting power. All warnings tell us a distance of no less than 35’ is the safety standard. Another safety warning is that if a person is in direct contact with the power, do not touch them or that same power (electrocution in the natural) will run through you and you could be the next victim. Think about this in the spiritual. Our God is a consuming fire. He is live Power. I want to be a carrier of His love and His power, so that if someone comes into contact with me, they get hooked by His Power too.
As we draw close to the High Holy Days we are praying for our loved ones and for lost souls. We are asking that they come into contact with a Living Savior and His Power and that someone to be a carrier of this Power in their lives. When they come into contact with His Power, this will be a power so fierce that they will never be able to get unhooked. Seeing them touch His power and then become alive to Him.
Rosh Hashanah is the civil New Year on The Hebrew calendar. This is also known as head of the year. Yom Teruah, the blowing of Trumpets, is on the first day of the seventh month. This is said to be the first day of creation when God breathed into Adam the breath of life.
Yom Teruah (The Blowing) is mentioned in several books, but listed in the Feasts found in the book of Leviticus, chapter 23. This is the beginning of The Ten Days of Awe.
Jewish custom and beliefs are that the books of heaven are opened and examined, like the time of evaluation or self evaluation talked about a few days ago. God determines our reward for the coming year based on last year’s crop, whether we were successful or suffered crop failure. It is believed during the Ten Days of Awe we are allowed to do charity and change the results of last year before He closes the books and seals our destiny for the coming year, these are days to repent and return to God. We understand as believers in Christ we are forgiven, but this does not necessarily eliminate reaping what has been sown. We must repent immediately when we realize we have missed the mark. God cannot be mocked. Actually when we look into this parable and God’s wisdom it is a picture of us planting our fields. This gives me a revelation of how it works. Whatever I have planted is what I will produce. The seed produces after its own kind, right?
Oh how grateful we are that Our God is longsuffering, merciful, and compassionate, with us? We also should be with others. I am not suggesting ignoring sin or pretending it doesn’t exist. As we pray and intercede for the lost, the prodigals and the wayward, remember their name is written in the Lamb’s book of life and they need to show up for roll call. Repenting and Returning is what The Father is looking for. Knowing our name is written should spur us on to be sure that they also know their name is written.
I encourage us all to ask someone this week; is your name written in The Lambs book of life?
1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:1-10 NIV)
Bad seed, bad harvest. I pray we plow under any crop failures and useless foliage that is taking up space in our field and receive new seeds and plant for new and exciting harvests.
So let’s explore this a little more deeply. Why is it necessary to return? What did we turn away from? What did we leave?
Rabbi Toba Spitzer
What did we turn away from?
In the traditional commentaries, the answer is: love of God. In this understanding, sins are those things which estrange us from the sacred, which create a sense of alienation from that which is Ultimate and good. We become estranged from our own Godly nature, and from our divine Source. We experience a kind of hunger in our souls, a profound sense of spiritual alienation and distance from the divine. Teshuvah from love is motivated by hunger and thirst, a yearning for intimacy with God. As the great medieval philosopher and rabbi, Maimonides, wrote in his Mishneh Torah:
“Teshuvah is great because it brings a person close to the Shekhina, to God’s Presence in the world…Teshuvah brings close those who are far off.” (Hilchot Teshuvah 7:6)
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Don’t miss the season of Teshuvah, my favorite time of the year.
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
Through All Seasons 