Creation Calls

This seems like the perfect thing to follow my previous post. Talk about celebrating creation!

Celebrate Creation

My Bug asked me today if there was a special day in which we were to celebrate creation.  I knew there was not a Holy Day we kept specifically for creation. I immediately thought of the New Year, and the Jewish New Year.  A quick search brought me to the wikipedia article stating that the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, commemorates the creation of the world (along with its other traditions).

In rabbinic tradition, the world was created on 1 Tishrei, the day that Rosh Hashanah is kept on.  The Bible does not provide proof for this.  From my quick research, it was the opinion of one rabbi, Rabbi Eliezer, that this is when the world was created.  Obviously, one man's opinion doesn't make a thing true.  According to this link, Rosh Hashanah is not the beginning of creation, but the final day of creation, the day God made man and therefore became King.  The thought is then that Rosh Hashanah is more than the anniversary of creation, but but the anniversary of God's reign over man. 

To me, that makes much more sense.  It is my belief that Rosh Hashana (aka Feast of Trumpets) is the looking forward to Christ's return.  The final trumpet blast will bring Jesus Christ to Earth to establish the Kingdom of God.  Sound kind of familiar?  Only this time, Jesus will rule from Earth and all will follow Him. 

So the Feast of Trumpets makes a good time to remember God's creating of the world.  But it's awfully full already with Jesus Christ coming back to Earth!  Is there a better day to remember God's creation? We should be remembering God's creation ever day, but there is one day a week that lends itself to deeper contemplation of His works.

The Sabbath. 

The Sabbath day is the perfect day to look at the amazing creation God made.  The Sabbath is a day of rest that He gave us.  What did God do on the first Sabbath? He rested but He also looked at all He had made and thought about how good it all was.  If we are to be like God, we should also be celebrating creation on the Sabbath. 

This is pretty easy to do.  You can start Friday evening and look at the stars.  Sabbath morning you can have your cup of coffee / tea and listen to the birds waking up outside.  Afternoons are a good time to take a gentle walk through God's handiwork.  It doesn't take somewhere special to enjoy and be amazed at all the wonderful things He's made. 

What do you do to remember God's creation on the Sabbath?

-- Bug thinks we should celebrate it the first week of the new year because it would be like the first week of creation.  I can't fault him in his thinking.  When I asked what calendar we were to use for the new year, he stated it didn't matter.  Just that it would be a cool thing to do. I'm not about to start a new Holy Day, but the idea of remembering God's creation at the start of the Roman calendar would be much more fun then partying until midnight and making a bunch of resolutions! --

It's Jewish

I received this as a forward a couple years ago.  It's been sitting in my email inbox since then.  I wasn't sure what to do with it. I didn't want to get rid of it, it's too good.  I finally decided that sharing it on here would be a good way to have it 'saved' without cluttering up my inbox.  Plus it shares it with all of you. (It is left in it's original format, I have no problem using God's full name, but some do. I just chose not to change it in the poem.)

It's Jewish
 

When we present G-d's holy law,
And arguments from scripture draw,
Objectors say, to pick a flaw,
'It's Jewish.'

Though at the first Most High blessed
And sanctified His day of rest,
The same belief is still expressed,
'It's Jewish.'

Though with the world this rest began,
And thence through all Scriptures ran,
And Yeshua said "'twas made for man"--
'It's Jewish.'

Though not with Jewish rites,
which passed,
But with the moral law 'twas classed,
Which must exist while time shall last,
'It's Jewish.'

If from the Bible we present
The Sabbath's meaning and intent,
This answers every argument--
'It's Jewish.'

Though the disciples, Luke and Paul,
Continue still this rest to call
The 'Sabbath day', this answers all:
'It's Jewish.'

The good news teacher's plain expression,
That " Sin is of the law's transgression,"
Seems not to make the least impression--
'It's Jewish.'

They love the rest of man's invention,
But if the L-RD's day we mention,
This puts an end to all contention:
'It's Jewish.'

O ye who thus G-D's day abuse,
Simply because 'twas kept by Jews,
The Saviour, too, you must refuse,
He's Jewish.

The Scriptures, then, we may expect
For the same reason you'll reject;
For if you will but recollect,
They're Jewish.

Thus the apostles, too, must fall;
For Andrew, Peter, James, and Paul,
Thomas, Matthew, John, and all
Were Jewish.

So to your helpless state resign
Yourself in wretchedness to pine;
Salvation, surely you'll decline,
It's Jewish.

A Starry Gift List

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?

(Ps 8:3-4) 

 

 

 

a peaceful Sabbath night

 

Perseid Meteor Shower

time spent as a family

enjoying God's creation

 

a perfect crescent moon, setting

 

a man who's willing to be the pillow

shooting stars! 

 

The Big Dipper

 teaching my son his first constellation

 

Milky Way Galaxy

 

family discussions

The Gorge wind to cool us down

an extra sweatshirt in the car when it gets too chilly for little boys

dark car rides home 

little boys falling asleep in the car

daddy to carry the little boy

These photos were not taken by me.  Please click on photo for original source.