Party on Garth.

Nehemiah 12:27-31,43

          Perhaps I woke up in a whimsical mood but after I read the passages today I want to party! This passage speaks about people being gathered together in the city and one of the other passages today

( 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 ) speaks of being "first fruits".  Talk about taking liberties with translations, all I could think of was the gay community ( first fruits? ) coming into the city to celebrate, as in pride parades. 

          This passage today speaks of coming into the city to offer sacrifices but we know that there is only one sacrifice. Jesus gave up his life so we could live both now and all eternity. God wishes us to have the freedom and to execute our lives completely according to his plan. That is, whomever he made us to be in all our glory. And now I am drawn back to that pride parade.

          Of course whatever we do in life should involve discernment and cooperation with God's plan and who he made us to be but more than that, no matter what our life is it should be filled with joy and love. In fact, if you are a true believer you are the most likely to feel the joy and exude it in everything you do. I think God loves a great party and once again I am back to the pride parade.

          I think our local pride parades are not until June ( both here on the island and in the big city ) but we should always celebrate and revel in who we are. 

          Share the love always, party on, celebrate who you are!

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. The companies of the singers gathered together from the circuit around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on to the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession. One went to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate; They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.