Today is Shabbat, Yom Shevat, seven, seventh day, sabbath day, day of thinking and thoughts....of God , of where we are in our lives with Him, where we want to be with Him, in Praise and thankfulness of Him and TO Him. In honor and reflection of what He gave up for us to have life. We are so fortunate. To be humbled is to be rich! Rich in the glory of our Father in Heaven that gave up his life and blood for us all those thousands of years ago.
But for centuries, since the beginning of time, on the seventh day, His day of rest, at sunset or just a little before, as we scurry about to get all things done that are considered "work" by our standards....done at least to a point where they can wait 24 hours til we are ready for them again...We then at that time , light two candles, or more if you have children, one for each....and say a blessing "we light these candles to remind us of the blessings of creation and the communion of belivers in Yeshua ha Mashiach, and the light of the world that He is, and that He wants us to carry out into the world and our lives." You can always write your own, for whatever works for you. I like the hebrew, hubby likes the English..so sometimes we use only English, sometimes both. Then we break bread, and say "we break this bread in rememberance of our Father, who gave his life broken for us, amen" Next is the juice (or some use wine), and we say " We raise this cup of wine, to remember the blood shed for us in remission of sins, by our Father , Yeshua HaMashiach, light of the world, amen". The same for both of these prayers and blessings. There are many forms of them on the web, or you can write your own, or in the Hebrew, use the ones as ancient as time itself. There is something very special about uttering the similar verbiage that Mary, Mother of Yeshua, and Rachel, Leah, Miriam and others, used when they entered into Shabbat in their times...what a wonderful way to connect to each of our pasts!
Then we usually sit down for a meal, can be elaborate or not, just quiet and sometimes music, sometimes quiet, sometimes even news ......just talking in between. We celebrate that we have one full day from eve to eve, of technically 25 hrs to rest, relax and join with so many others all over the world at that one day, we all are one in the body of Christ(Yeshua Messiah). If we want to be like Him, and Holy as He is Holy, then we must take real time to spend with him...not rushed or censored, just a time that is unbroken in family, friends, and especially God.
(YHVH) Before Shabbat, I make sure the washer is set for starting and ready for our dinner plates, but I dont do dishes or any laundry, or vacuuming or any type of housework, again, unless absolutely necessary...We dont go out to lunch, or dinner we stay home, watch things that are uplifting, in either wordly ways or spiritual ones...(by worldly ways I mean like , home improvement shows, yard crashers, etc...or funny shows. not "icky mean or unbiblical ) no murder or anything that way, the news is exception. Just something we watch, but not intense like Nancy Grace or those kind on Shabbat!)
We are to be Holy, set apart, different from the world, while living in it. I remember several times, taking off early from work to be home in time for Shabbat. I remember once, telling a member of my then family , that whatever you "give up" in sales and revenue for Him and His day of rest, in not working, He ALWAYS makes up more than you expected!!!! Maybe just not in ways YOU expected! We have to always be alert to the fact that God (YHVH) is the ruler of us, not the other way around. We are here because of HIM, not He is here because of us, so in that respect, we should ask for things that we want or need, but let HIM be the final say on what you need or want, as sometimes, I know for me personally , I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT! haha But God (YHVH) always knows...my heart, my spirit, my mind, and soul..I want to worship Him with those parts and all of me, in that sense, to raise my person up to being more Holy, and more full of His spirit, more like Him , every Shabbat, in turn making me more like Him ....everyday.
Shabbat Shalom
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