Shavuoth

[Michael M. Regan]

This coming week Jews and Gentiles from around the world will be celebrating "Shavuot". It occurs 50 days after the second day of Passover it is the celebration of the barley harvest but it also commemorates the giving of the Torah, Gods instructions on how to live before him in righteousness and with others according to Gods design. I would like to emphasize this is not a religious doctrine developed by man but one of seven festivals which God commanded His people to observe. During the observance of Shavuot the Book of Ruth is read. Ruth was a Moabite (non-Jew) who left her home and her peoples relgion to unite herself with the People of God and to worship their God. God honored her descision and her faithfulness by including her in the bloodline and genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah. I wanted to make the destinction between what God creates and what religion creates.What would the world be like if we followed Gods Torah (instructions) and cared for the needs of others, treated them like we would like to be treated? It's our inward choices of our hearts that cause hatred, divorce, abortion and hatred between religious groups, wars, pollution they are a result of bad choices. We could do away with all weapons and man would still find a way to got to war. The problems are not external, they come from within. Many go to religion but religion cannot fix the human heart. Religions build luxurious palaces of worship while the poor and needy are forgotten. The religious kiss the hands of religious leaders to find favor with God. But Yeshua said mans laws or religious laws cannot change the human heart. Religion is like trying to cure AIDS with a bandage. It is like painting and putting flowers on a grave it looks good on the outside, but underneath the root of the problem is everything is dead. Religion teaches us how we should go up to meet God. God says no, I will come down and become like you. Religion only seperates us from God and created wars and hatred between people. Religion says "do" Yeshua says "done". What religion binds up, Yeshua releases. What religion blinds, Yeshua gives light. Only in Yeshua (not religion) will you find forgiveness of sins and eternal life. May you who seek God be like Ruth who left everything and followed not a religion but the One True God.As we celebrate may you be amoung "Gods Harvest". Shalom Shavuot.