Pilgrimage Continues

PSALM 84:1-7 NKJV
How Lovely Is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of my LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home. And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young- Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah

vs5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a Spring; the rain also covers it with pools They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, I deeply enjoyed Beth Moore's study on the Psalms of the Ascents. I continue to find my heart set on Pilgrimage with Messiah, our Savior. We have certainly passed through the Valley of Baca (deep weeping and tears) and He has certainly made it a Spring to refresh ourselves from. Just as the Israelites of old traveled to Zion 3 times a year for the Feasts, we are on a pilgrimage to the New Zion, our Heavenly home where Messiah and His Father wait for us. We will appear before Him, Amen!

During my recent study, I was briefly introduced to these 3 Feasts of the Lord: Unleavened Bread, Passover, and First Fruits. John and I have both found ourselves compelled to learn more about these Feasts. It just so happens that I have this amazing girlfriend, Stephanie, who has been learning all about them. She and her sweet family are practicing a Messianic lifestyle. I am enjoying her website that I've posted on my Blog Roll. I'm so glad it's no longer password protected and I can share it with all of you again!

Anyway, this last weekend Christians around the world celebrated Easter, while followers of Messiah celebrated Passover Seder a few days before {if I understand correctly} (Mar 30). Currently the Jewish calendar is counting the omer to the day of Pentecost. (I hope to understand more about this next year!) As John and I researched Easter this last week, we were shocked to discover that the goddess "Easter" is a fertility god who came back to earth as an egg and emerged as a rabbit. Those who practiced worship to this goddess would engage in sex on the Feast of Easter and then sacrifice their newborn children the following year, dipping eggs in the blood spilled by the babies. For our family, we elected to leave our egg coloring kits untouched this year.

I would like to encourage all of you to just do a google search on the history of Easter and Easter as a fertility god. Then make some determinations for yourselves. Truth should always be sought.

John and I have certainly traveled through the Valley of Baca as our home caved in this last year. As we rebuild it, we find there are some things we simply can't put back in their old places. It would create a simliar fragility for us to deal with at a later date. So we sit at the Springs the Lord has created for us to drink from, seek His face through His beautiful Word, and learn more about our Messiah and how He is the reason to celebrate the Feasts today.

More to follow as we are in the infancy stages of our research, Bible time and prayer.

Let the Pilgrimage continue!!