10 Days of Awe

THE DAYS OF AWE

Jewish tradition from the Old Testament dictates these 10 days between the end of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) are the holiest of all holy days in all the Hebrew calendar. Not only do they provide for a time of rest and reflection, they are also hugely significant in how your year will look. Jews believe the way you enter into the New Year will dictate how your year will go. For those who have been “sealed for a good year” the year will reap the blessings of Heaven. But for those who were not sealed in The Book of Life, they will have a year filled with trials that hopefully will recalibrate their hearts and souls to return to God most fully when the next year rolls around. Technically the Books of Life and Death are opened on Rosh Hashanah and the Lord himself assigns souls to each, however, during these 10 Days of Awe & Repentance, those whose were written in the Book of Death have an opportunity to be moved to the Book of Life and sealed in it for a good year on Yom Kippur when the atonement is made for all sins and the Books sealed for the year.

Since we cannot know for certain which book we have been written in, even Christians do not know with certainty, it is good practice for all Believers to take this time during the next 10 Days to seek the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul, repenting of every doubt, unbelief and form of rebellion. We can take this time to look back and see how promises are fulfilled. Just like the Torah readings during Rosh Hashanah focus on the stories of Sarah, Hagar, and Hannah, we can become like these Mothers who clung in belief and faith to the word of the Lord to see their son of promise born. Even if we cling falteringly and produce an Ishmael, or have to give the promise away after it is born, we can look back at the heroes of our faith and join them with tears of travail, petitions of praise or even laughter and enter into the faith with them, trusting that God will fulfill His word to us.

Looking Back on my journals on this day from years past, I was able to REDISCOVER something amazing I want to offer to you now to ponder in these days as well: God’s vision for His Bride…

• Wake Up O’ Fair One – Ephesians 5:14; Isaiah 51:17, 52:1, 60:1; Malachi 4:2

The church needs to Awaken to its Calling. Eyes wide open. REDISCOVER your identity. YOU are a Change Agent, an Apostle of Love! 12 is not Enough!

• EXAMPLE the Faith – 2 Corinthians 3:18

We must become a people who Lead By Example. Live your Beliefs. Do not merely imitate Christ. Become Him. BE Jesus to the world. Jesus is the door. We MUST ENTER IN!

• UNITE what was once divided and DIVIDE Light from darkness – Ephesians 1:10; Acts 4:32

The church must EMBRACE its Ecumenical nature. We are many parts, all ONE body!

• BUILD Community – Acts 4

We need REVELATIONAL teaching coupled with RELEVANT Outreach. Teachers impassioned by the Word of God to Speak it BOLDLY in ALL FAITH. It is the Word of God that preaches to hearts and inspires conversion, man is only the vessel. Churches don’t need an advertising strategy, they need a Megaphone and a Man or Woman who can speak BOLDLY! Speak Boldly and the people will come.

• A Charismatic Lover – Revelations 9:10 (Prophecy & Worship)

It is the Love between Lovers which holds their souls in union. So it is with Our Father in Heaven. The PROPHETIC GIFT MUST FLOW in all parts of the body! Prophecy is the Heart of the Father. The Testimony of Jesus IS the Spirit of Prophecy. If we are to become a BRIDE MADE READY then we MUST Enter In through the doorway of Jesus and GO BACK to Our FIRST LOVE. Let us Fall On Our Face and WORSHIP HIM! Prophecy & Worship must walk hand-in-hand.

LET US PRAY BOLDLY:

Our Father, Who art IN Heaven, Hallowed Be THY NAME….

We have to ENTER IN to the Heavens to feel the embrace of the Father, for which all things were made, and long to return. THY WILL BE DONE, ON Earth as it is IN Heaven!

ACTION:

These next 9 days are days of Reflection, Redemption, Repentence, Reconciliation and Rediscovery. Take a few moments this week to reflect on what God has done, is doing, and will do in your life. Get a journal and start recording what you hear and see. If you’ve already been keeping one then GO BACK and look again at what God shared with you. There just may be something He wants you to bring with you in this season as you enter into the NEW year ahead. It’s like making and keeping a scrapbook for your greatest love, we have them for our families, why not keep one for you and God?

WIDEN YOUR MOUTH IN SILENCE

During the ten days of awe, we understand that we are marching towards the holiest day of the Jewish year, since the most important sacrifice of the year for the sins of the nation would take place on this day. This season of the year, initiated by the blowing of the shofar, is consummated with the Yom Kippur sacrifice. Why did the Lord, our God, require the blood of bulls, rams, and lambs as the price of readmission to fellowship with Him? Part of the answer is that the concept of sacrifice includes a cost to someone–a cost that reminds us that there is a price for sin. Disobedience to God degrades our relationship to God and one other. But there is more, and this calls our hearts and minds to consider the biblical principle of substitution. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, and until the destruction of the Temple in the year 70AD, the law of substitutionary sacrifice was understood to restore a balance that the presence of sin had upset. The innocent substitute acts as the means through which “shalom” (peace or completeness) is reestablished between the sinner and God. Therefore, the primary purpose of sacrifice is to allow the estranged person to be drawn once more into unbroken fellowship with God. Christians know the sacrifice offered by Christ on the cross is the pathway we must walk in if we are to maintain this unbroken fellowship going forward.

To help us better understand these days, we can use the acronym: Te-SH-U-V-aH.

The word teshuvah comprises five (Hebrew) letters, each letter a path and a method in the avoda of teshuvah (the process of combining work, worship, and service in an offering to the Lord). Each moves from a potential state to actuality through the avoda of davening (praying):

T: Tamim – “Be sincere with the Eternal God.”

Sh: Shiviti – “I have set God before me always.”

U: V’ahavta – “Love your fellow as yourself.”

V: B’chol – “In all your ways, know Him.”

H: Hatznei’a – “Walk discreetly with your God.”

Spend these days reflecting on these things in the silence of prayer between you and God. Ask Him to share His thoughts with you that you may enter into true repentance and receive true forgiveness that heals every wound. These are days of Wonder & Awe at the Goodness of God’s Mercy and our own

Blessings to you friends as we go through the narrow way in these holiest of holy days. May we be filled with Awe and Wonder!

Until the Day Dawns,

Kim

#coffeewjesus ☕️ #transformation #DaysofAwe #Rediscover #Renew #Restore #Rise #WakingEve