Sunset

This was taken down by the bay about a month ago..Whenever I take in a sunset,I usually reflect on Psalm 19, where David says, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the works of His hands."
As the sun sets tonight, we are preparing for our Passover.

No, we are not Jewish.
No, we are not trying to be Jewish.
Yes, we are holding fast to a tradition we have taken part in for almost 19 years.

It all began at our little church in Battle Creek. One of the elders there began teaching on the significance of the Old Testament and how it points towards the redemption of mankind through Jesus. He showed us "types" of Christ all through out the pages of the Old Testament and then tied them to the New. He taught for 6 weeks prior to Passover.
(Isn't that Jewish?) We even had a guy from Jews for Jesus come and share a seder meal with us. It was all new and to be honest, kind of odd.

Fast forward many years, and we are still celebrating Passover. I cannot imagine not having it..
Some years, our living room is stuffed with people. Other years it is a few friends. Tim and I yearn for it each year as we look towards Easter. My children look forward to it as well!
Today as I was picking out the items for the seder plate and table(alone), I was remembering our children, many years ago, helping me in the grocery store. They picked out the apples for the haroset. I had many a car seat strapped to the grocery cart as we started our quest.. They oohed and ahhed over how ugly of a ginger root they could find. They helped me get the house ready and set the table. They made great faces as they dipped the matzoh into the bitter herbs...they raced all over trying to find the affikomen..I still remember having Hannah in a high chair while Nathan was tasting all the stuff on the table! They also helped spring clean the house and wow whee, did it take a lot longer then than it does now!!!

This time, it was mostly Teresa and Rachel with spring cleaning. They are amazing helpers those two! Tim got the lamb while he was in Traverse City a few weeks ago.(We roast it over a fire just like the Hebrews did) One year, we had fresh lamb from some dear farmin' friends of ours and Tim helped slaughter it..that was hard! Think of the families on that first Passover night, ready for freedom, having to sacrifice a young lamb and then smear it's blood over the door posts!

Without Passover, there would be no Easter. Without the sacrifice of a spotless, innocent lamb, there would be no protection from death--not only for the Hebrews but also for us. They were saved from a literal death, we are saved from a spiritual death. Jesus died and shed His blood but then He rose again!!!!!!!!!!!

I like I Corinthians 5:7 where Paul says as he is dealing with people in the church who are being immoral--" Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed."

Christ my Passover has been sacrificed--the Perfect, Sinless, Spotless, Lamb of God,
Who takes away the sin of the world...

Thank you Lord for taking away my sin,
Thank You for suffering and dying..
Thank You for rising again and defeating sin and death!!

You are faithful,
Bonnie