Way of life in the Spirit (part two)

6. Recreation

The sixth most essential elements in the sustenance of human life is recreation, an activity of leisure which is considered to be an essential element of human biology and psychology which is often done for enjoyment, amusement or pleasure and considered to be fun, for as the saying goes, “All work and no play makes jack a dull boy.”

In the spiritual realm or in the way of life in the Spirit, recreation also plays a vital role and specific days and occasions have been established by the Creator Himself, specifically for this purpose, because it is stated; “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1-3).

The instructions given to all those who are walking and living in the Spirit are: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are other occasions such as the Lord`s festivals which were ordained for this purpose as we have been duly admonished saying; “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you” (Deuteronomy 12:12).

These are the days the Lord has ordained for recreation and spiritual rejuvenation for those who are living and walking in the Spirit, for we have been duly admonished saying; “For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: " So I swore in My wrath, ' They shall not enter My rest,' " although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest."

Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, then, He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:3-10).

And the warning is, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: And, there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:11-13).

  

7. Worship

 Worship is the seventh essential elements in the sustenance of the physical life, and as number seven, it depicts perfection, security, safety and rest, and regardless of one’s belief, the awareness of a higher authority is ever present and so the Lord warned His people saying; “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage” (Deuteronomy 4:15-19).

The conclusion therefore is, it is not every form of worship that is good and acceptable to God. The only form of worship that is good and acceptable to God is the one which He requires of us, that is, the one performed in Spirit and truth.

Otherwise, this is what the Lord says; "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies --- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).

And even when we appear before the Lord at the appointed times, there is also a protocol on how to appear before Him that we are to adhere to which consist of the following:

a.       Sing to the LORD a new song!

Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

b.      For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens

 Signifying that, we should only worship the Lord who made the heavens and then blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

c.       Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name;

 And the way one gives to the Lord the glory due to His name, is by observing His Sabbaths. For thus says the Lord; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:30. 26:2).

d.      Bring an offering, and come into His courts

 The rationale for having a holy convocation is to offer the Lord the food for His offerings which we are to be careful to offer to Him at the appointed time. For we have been admonished saying: “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day --besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).

e.       Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

 This can only be fulfilled when everyone who present them-selves before the Lord are themselves holy because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

f.       Tremble before Him, all the earth.

Meaning that we are to take His word seriously and be obedient to Him. For thus says the Lord; “Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:1-2).

These are the outward and visible signs which identifies the life which is in accordance to the Spirit and to this end, the life which is in accordance to the Spirit is as literal and practical as the life which is in accordance to the flesh and both utilize the same instrument or medium to accomplish their purpose which is our human body.

To be continued