12 April 2009
Let's Celebrate!
April/12/09
Last Wednesday morning in Jerusalem thousands of Jewish people gathered at the wailing Wall and on rooftops before sunrise waiting for the first glimmers of the sun as it became visible in the Eastern sky. They gathered together as they do every twenty-eight years to offer a blessing to the sun. The prayer is called Birkat Hakhama. Men, women, and children dress in white prayer shawls and sway back and forth uttering their prayer of blessing. Throughout Israel and the West Bank thousands more sought out hilltops and climbed to their roofs to recite the prayer at the sun s first rays. The blessing of the sun prayer is in accordance with a Jewish tradition that the sun is in the same position every twenty-eight years as it was on the day of creation more than five thousand and seventy years ago. There is more excitement this year because this twenty-eighth year coincides with the beginning of Passover, which began at sundown on Wednesday.
All of these folks have come together for the blessing of the sun. I don t know about you but I see this as very ironic. As they gather this week to celebrate the blessing of the SUN, millions of others around the world gather to celebrate the blessing of the SON. This is not just a play on words, it is also an occasion of heart wrenching emotion for me. Thousands of Jews celebrating the rising of a fiery ball in the sky, and not even acknowledging the Son of God that came in the fullness of time to us all; gladly sacrificing Himself to save every person from our sins that can cause an eternity in a fiery Hell. Others that will come to Christian churches to worship one of the few Sundays they attend; to worship Jesus Christ and yet not even knowing what Christ means (The Anointed One of God). Worse than not defining Christ, they don t realize they have no relationship with Him. I don t mean to dampen your celebration today. In fact my goal is just the opposite; I want you to celebrate the blessing of the Son. I just want you to know Him, love Him, and follow Him all the way to, and through, eternity. Let the celebration begin!