Desired and Chosen

It's odd to be reading of the Passover in the first week of Advent, but that's where I am at in the Jesus study. In Day 76 Beth quotes part of the "Kiddush" as it is likely what Christ said as He celebrated the Passover with his disciples in the upper room. (Luke 22:14-22 is today's passage.) The Kiddush is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat,or other Jewish holiday. I googled "Kiddush" and came to the following English translation in Wikipedia.


English translation of Friday night kiddush
[And it was evening and it was morning], the sixth day. And the heavens and the earth and all their hosts were completed. And God finished by the seventh day His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He rested from all His work which God created to function.

Attention, gentlemen,

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine. (Amen)
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, has desired us, and has given us, in love and good will, His holy Shabbat as a heritage, in remembrance of the work of Creation; the first of the holy festivals, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us and sanctified us from among all the nations, and with love and good will given us Your holy Shabbat as a heritage. Blessed are You, Lord, who sanctifies the Shabbat. (Amen)

Such a very lovely blessing. Before this reading I did not know it existed. There is such beauty in the Jewish traditions. It would have been a lovely prayer at Thanksgiving... perhaps I will print it and put a copy in our china cabinet...where it will be available for appropriate use.

As I study it, I see that it is a blessing of remembrance. Lord. God. King of the universe. Creator. We need to remember WHO God is.
It is this King of the Universe who sanctifies us - changes us - fits us for Himself - through His Word.
It is AMAZING that the King of the Universe desires us. Ponder that. God has one longing - even as God - and that is for relationship with His creation.
The King of the Universe has given us Sabbath as a heritage, a reminder to rest for 1/7 th of our week, as a remembrance of His work of creation and His example of rest. (Now THAT is a good reminder for the Advent season.) Isn't it funny how we love to FIGHT this - call it ritual, and unnecessary for New Testament believers. But it is a GIFT. A gift "in love and good will." Why do we fight what is so good for us?
The King of the Universe gave us Passover to remember His deliverance of His people from Egypt.
We are chosen. I am chosen. If I remembered this each day it would certainly change my perspective.
We are chosen and sanctified from among the nations. Do you ponder this enough? If you have accepted Christ's free gift of salvation and are living in obedience to Him, then you can know you are CHOSEN. I'm not interested in debating predestination, but I'm grateful that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I AM CHOSEN. God did it right - however He did the choosing - and I am among the chosen. I don't know about you, but I don't thank Him enough for that, nor do I mention it in my prayers nearly enough.
Blessed be the Lord of the Shabbat.

This kind of ritual - not as a NECESSARY, but as a LOVELY REMEMBRANCE - excites me. I love the heritage of it. I love that Jesus likely said these very words with His disciples. At this site you can listen to it in Hebrew.

I love learning. It really just invigorates me. I'm home sick today, for the second day in a row, but today I am at least able to be reading and studying a bit. And honestly, my dilemma is WHICH Bible study to work on. My favorite is this Jesus one, I have a lesson in Proverbs to lead on Saturday morning, and I'm working through Immanuel by Ann Spangler for Advent. (Praying the Names of God through the Christmas Season) After my first morning nap (I am, after all, home to recuperate for the rest of my work week) I will dig into Christian History. I have SO MUCH reading for that, too. I so prefer my time in the Word, but will continue to plod on through the background information I am learning through my seminary classes.

Remember today that you are desired by God. Will you respond to Him in a new and fresh way during this season of Advent?