Our favorite place to be
This year (2023) my birthday fell on Sunday. When we arrived at church that Sunday for the early service, I began to rejoice, to praise God for a birthday on the same day of the week set aside to worship Him.
“Thus says the LORD,
(Isaiah 56: 1-2 NASB)
“Preserve justice and do righteousness,
For my salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
How blessed is the man who does this.
And the son of man who takes hold of it;
Who keeps from profaning the sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
- After the first service, we went to Sunday School, a place where we meet in small groups to study God’s Word, to pray, and to live in community with one another. As I looked at the many faces of those who God has drawn to the same small group as me, I began to rejoice, to praise God how He gave me a birthday on the day set aside, a holy day to worship Him.
- Two hours after my husband and I first arrived at church on my fifty-seventh birthday, we were given another opportunity to worship in community with others as we praised God’s goodness, mercy, and grace. When I left Sunday School and walked toward the sanctuary, several times I received the opportunity to share life with others who attend Sunday worship with me. As I entered the side door, walked beside the pastor’s office door, traveled down the long hallway, and turned into the sanctuary, truly, the thought permeating my thoughts: ‘Thank You, God, for giving me a birthday on the same day, a holy day, set aside to worship You.’
Then I saw the flowers, her flowers, sitting there in the place near my mother. The flower bouquet had been created by a gorgeous, godly lady who attends worship with me, and the bouquet had been reserved for me by a most beautiful, godly daughter who God promised me in 1998 & who came into our home with a flurry as a newborn in 1999.
There on the flower bouquet was a card, penned by the godly woman who I attend church with each Sunday, who wrote the words my precious daughter gave to me (words I still carry with me today).
“Mom, Happy Birthday. I love you and am forever thankful that God gave me you as a mom. I think it’s very appropriate your birthday falls on a Sunday this year because I know church is your favorite place to be. So enjoy church, enjoy lunch, & know that your daughter loves you more than she can explain in words.” –Sydney
“Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
(Isaiah 56: 3-5 NASB)
“The LORD will surely separate me from His people.”
Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
For thus says the LORD,
“To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast to My covenant,
To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.”
- To be clear, those who have been blessed with children, with sons & daughters, can raise our hands and proclaim: “Praise You, LORD, for giving me such a gift.”
- To be clear, there is no possible way parents would ever say: “LORD, I give them back to You (our sons & daughters),” for the gift of life is too precious, whether given to us biologically or specifically placed within our homes & our hearts.
In this place, in this thought, let us today clearly see the AMAZING GIFT of GOD’S GRACE, of EVERLASTING LIFE WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM A MOST-HOLY GOD!
- Some see obedience to God as a drudgery.
- Some see obedience to God’s commandments as too demanding, too restricting.
- Some see obedience to God’s walk of faith that He leads believers to—as something to run from each day.
However, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
- A SABBATH REST is truly OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE!
- Faithfulness to God brings earthly happiness & DEEP-ABIDING JOY!
- Obedience to God brings EVERLASTING, ETERNAL JOY!
May we cherish each morning we are given the opportunity to arise from our slumber—the gift of Still, Quiet Time with God.
- May we cherish each Sabbath day we are given the opportunity to attend worship with our brothers & sisters-in-Christ—the gift of community, edification, & shared Bible study.
- May we cherish today—the AMAZING GIFT of GOD’S GRACE!
- May we delight in God’s presence in our lives.
The psalmist David, the King of Israel spoke these words preached by the apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost—a day when there were about 3,000 people who came to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
May we receive, rejoice, and shout “Thank You, Lord Jesus!” as we these words from God’s Holy Word—
“For David says of Him [Jesus Christ, the Messiah & Savior]
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
. . .
“This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.”
(The Acts of the Apostles 2: 25-28 & 32-33 NASB)