Hanukkah

(Repost 2022)

A Festival of Lights. A story told the Roman’s so the Hews could keep their festival. It’s not like it’s an expressly commanded festival and let’s be honest-the Romans wouldn’t be to keen on the big guy losing to the little guy in a celebration… particularly a big successful army losing to a ragtag bunch of rebels living in the hills. A miracle happens there. An unlikely family spends three years-with those who collected to them-to fight one who declared himself a god, who desecrated the temple, one who controlled the great Syrian army, and one who determined to wipe everything that wasn’t Greek… including every thought or idea of the One True G-d.

But G-d raised up warriors for Himself among his people. He gave them a spirit of court and strength. In the midst of what is sometimes referred to as The Silent Time, G-d was not silent. But He did work differently. He granted them perseverance and eventually victory. It was a time when the prophets were silent, when the visions ceased, when the dreams no longer were sent. But that didn’t mean that G-d was silent.  It simply meant that G-d was working differently, as He prepared the world to be the perfect place for the culmination of the promises. And in that time, He worked a victory for His people.

Is G-d trying to work a victory in your life? To send you a blessing? To work a miracle that you need?  Is He doing it in a way that is unexpected? We often look for G-d to answer our prayers or to meet us in the ways we have been met by Him before. We are creatures of routine and we want the Almighty G-d to be predictable-a box far too small for He truly can do for you.

As we come to our second Sukkot -who doesn’t want Sukkot again and this time with jelly donuts?!- let us remember the rejoicing of Sukkot when all the world will finally rest, when sin will be no more, and the peace of Messiah is allowed to rule the hearts and lives of all mankind. It is a time to be encouraged that HaShem is a G-d of promise and He will fulfill all things in the proper time. Be encouraged to be a light in the darkness as you light the candles this season. Share the joy of a healed life in Messiah. Love the world around you a little more, a little harder. And look for God to work in miraculous way outside of the box you may have for Him.

I pray you are blessed and have great joy during this season.

In Messiah’s love,

Kim

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higiyanu laz'man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.