Commemoration Week 2016 <3 Monday

If you are new…or have slept and done a few things since last August…this is something I call “Commemoration Week”.

I can’t state it any better than the way I introduced it in previous years, so here is the skinny on what this week means to me each year….

In 2005, I stumbled across Exodus 13 and 14 with fresh eyes and strong conviction that freedom from slavery should be intentionally celebrated.

When I read these passages, my picture loving mind is aided by childhood memories of Cecil B. DeMille’s Hollywood version of the story…which are still impressive considering the technology available at the time – hello…the Red Sea? Ah-mazing.

Phrases like…

Commemorate this day, the day you came out of the land of Egypt, OUT OF THE LAND OF SLAVERY, because the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand.

Exodus 13:3 NIV

and

In days to come, when your son asks you, “What does this mean?” say to him, “With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Exodus 13:14 NIV

My journal records my thoughts from that year on how important it is for me to make it a point to remember…

to remember that I was enslaved to sin…

and that it was the LORD who delivered me.

While I am reminded weekly as we take communion.

And daily…

minute by minute…

of my great need of Him and gratitude for His gift of salvation, it seemed worthwhile to set aside time to think about His mighty hand and to commemorate all that He has done for me.

The traditional celebrations of events in the life of Christ and what they mean are also full of extras…family meals, holiday events at work and in the community…things we have added on to the true meaning of what we are celebrating.

So this week in August has become a time of meditation and pondering on celebrating all that our Mighty God has done for me and for our family.

And since the day of my journaling was August 13th, 2005, I wrote a note on the calendar for the following year on the same date to set aside a week to remember and celebrate.

It has become a welcome part of my yearly calendar ever since.

I also see where God intended for that commemoration to be shared in community with others.

The Israelites’ marking of this great event would cause those coming along behind them to ask what was so significant about their celebration.

And it would give them the opportunity to renew their own wonder as well as give testimony of what God had done.

So I invite you to join me this year for a week of celebrating and remembering that we are now invited to sit at His table with Him, through the blood of Jesus Christ <3

I look forward to sharing the week with you, in thoughts and prayers.

Heavenly Father, I set aside this week to remember Your pursuing love of me. I agree with your word that I was born into a fallen race and world; and that without You in me, I will always choose to go my own way.

I acknowledge that it was not me that chose You, but You, who chose me.

I confess that there is still a part of me that wants to think that I am basically good…that there is something special about me that would cause You to choose me.

I would be the one who would pass through the sea on dry ground, pitch my tent and start looking longingly back at Egypt…forgetting the bricks, the taskmaster, the chains.

And so I want to intentionally stop this week and remember that it is Your GRACE and Your GRACE alone that has saved me.

That it is YOUR love that reached down to me.

That apart from the obedience of Your Son Jesus Christ, I would be eternally, totally, irretrievably lost.

Your Word says, that You loved the world so very much that You sent Your Son…that all the sins of all the world – the worst and most heinous to the more socially acceptable sins are the same in Your eyes and all sin separates us from You.

And I know that all sin…all the sins of humanity and the sin of the Fall and my own sin and sinful nature, were laid on Him who was without sin.

Lord, let me gain even greater understanding of the agony of my Lord when all sin was heaped upon Him and You turned Your face away from Him.

Fill my heart to overflow with love for my Savior!

He is Worthy of all glory, honor and praise.

I celebrate the Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice. I bless Your Name!

I hope you will join me on the Journey this week and perhaps find ways to celebrate with me the beautiful freedom that is ours in Christ our Lord <3