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Ezra 6:16-18,  Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.  For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel.  And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.

The decree from King Cyrus was found in the royal archives and sure enough, it was clear that Cyrus had given permission and resources for the Jewish people to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.  King Darius wrote back stating that the Jews were to be left alone in the building, no more obstacles, and that their expenses were to be paid from the royal treasury!  Wow!  God is pretty amazing. 

Thus, work resumed on the Temple until it was complete.  When they finished, there was a big celebration.  They dedicated the house of God with many animal sacrifices, by properly  installing the priests, and then celebrating Passover with one another. 

This got me thinking about celebrations.  How important it is for us to celebrate together as a people of God.  We need times of fellowship and joy as a way to remind one another of the amazing work of our God.  In the midst of everyday tasks and the struggles of daily life, we forget.  We have short memories.  Friends, we need to celebrate.  We need to come together, to laugh, to dine, to say, “Our God is so good!”  Honestly, I don’t think we celebrate enough.  We need to work these experiences into the rhythm of church. 

One future celebration that is planned is our Gratitude Feast on November 13.  On this Sunday, we will come together for a single service (both English-speaking services and the Spanish-speaking service) at 10am.  After worship, we will have a celebration on the lawn, with lots of food, games, and fellowship.  This will be a time in which we can remind each other, “Our God is so good!”  I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to it!

Let’s pray…Lord, Thank you for the way you are at work in the world and in our lives.  We thank you and give you glory and praise.  Help us remember and celebrate the work of your hands.  In Your Name, Amen.