Reflections on Shavuot

Tomorrow evening marks the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, or feast of weeks. It falls 50 days after the first day of Passover. It celebrates the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Biblical Times, Shavuot was one of 3 holidays in which the Jewish people were required to come to the Temple in Jerusalem and bring the first fruits of their harvest. Christians may recognize this holiday as Pentecost, which is the Greek word for fiftieth.  Remember, everything from the New Testament first originated in the Old Testament.

Shavuot is very special because through the Torah, God spoke to His people. It was a covenant sealed through His word especially for His beloved children. The Torah has bound Jews everywhere together for thousands of years. Pentecost bound Christians and Jews together even further. This bond is special because this is what God wants for all of His people, just as He wants us bound to him.

For Jewish people, the Torah is direct communication from God. It holds within it instructions for life. It teaches how to live a life with morals, ethics and values. It teaches humans how to dispense perfect, Godly justice. Fairness, responsibility, empathy, service to our fellow humans, discipline, respect, honor, love and forgiveness are all taught in Torah. Precise instructions as to how to achieve these attributes were given by Abba Father to His children. To Christians, Pentecost marks the moment the Ruach HaKodesh, or Holy Spirit, descended upon those who believed that Yeshua (Jesus) was the Messiah and Son of God. People suddenly were able to speak in different languages and understood one another as never before. Again, the Holy Spirit was given, just as the Torah before that was given, so that God could communicate with His people and instruct them in the way they needed to live. Both the Torah and the Holy Spirit were and are gifts from a Father to His children.

Shavuot and Pentecost have an even deeper connection. Jewish people think of Moses receiving the Torah as a covenant like that of marriage. It was a sacred pact and promise between God and the people of Israel that He would be their God and they would always be His precious people. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit reinforced this covenant and was extended not only to Jewish people but also to the nations. A Father’s love allows for the adoption of many into His Kingdom.

When I sit and ponder the love that our Creator has for us, I become so emotional. I feel sometimes that I am not worthy of this kind of love, that I do not deserve it, but then I want to honor that love by being the best I can be. I honor that love by valuing myself, by accepting myself, flaws and imperfections and all, and I strive to share that love with others, because His love lives within me.  He wants me to be an example and a light to others. I try and teach others to value themselves, especially if they know the love of God, but even if they do not, they can still feel it through me. I try to see others as God sees them, so I can let go of anger and resentment. I am not always successful, because I am human and sometimes my humanness gets in the way of Abba’s love, but the great news is that God’s gift keeps on giving. His mercy is new every day and he continues to give us another chance to get it right.  Tomorrow evening, as Shavuot begins, I challenge you to allow yourself to receive the love of God. Let that love drive out the self-doubt, the self-loathing, the insecurity, and the negativity in your soul. See yourself the way God does and value yourself, if for no other reason,  to honor Him and the covenant He has made with all who love Him. If you know that kind of love, you cannot possibly ever doubt your worth and value again. God bless!