Do This in Memory of Me

This evening, I was able to participate in a Passover Seder. The 20s group at my church invited Chris Kaltuka from Friends of Israel to walk us through a traditional Jewish Seder. I was so excited to attend! It was so great to hear the history behind the Jewish celebration, and even more exciting to connect what I have learned in BSF this past year about the origination of the Passover. To see the pages of Exodus come alive was so cool! Chris walked us from beginning to end, explaining what each Jewish family would do to prepare for the Passover and how they teach their children to "remember what the Lord has done." We ate the bitter herbs and unleavened bread. It was such a great way to start this week as we look ahead to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

In celebrating the Passover the way a Jewish person would, my heart broke for the Jewish people. In their very own ceremony, they use a greek word "afikoman." Translated in Greek, it means "He came." They place a full piece of unleavened bread in the top pocket of an afikoman bag, a broken piece in the middle, and another whole piece in the bottom. It represents God, the broken body of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But they miss the important piece: He came! That broken piece represents Christ, whose body was broken for the forgiveness of sins. The Messiah has already come, was crucified, and was resurrected! And yet, they don't believe that. They are still waiting in anticipation for the promised Messiah. They still hold a seat open for Elijah, not connecting that "Elijah" (John the Baptist) has already come! God's chosen people walked with Him in the Old Testament, learned of His promises, and were present at the time of His miraculous signs and His covenants. Learning that they still live under the old covenant made my heart break for their salvation in Christ.

On a related note, can I just say how much I LOVE my church?!?! God has blessed me so abundantly through Woodcreek, and I cannot thank Him enough for the sweet Christian fellowship that I have found here. I searched for a year for a church, so I am definitely grateful for this faithful body of believers. To be encouraged in genuine Christian fellowship is such a blessing! And I absolutely love the 20s group. I have never met more genuine people; they honestly love and care for each other in a way I have never experienced before. I am excited as I continue to get more connected. In addition to church and the Gathering (our 20s group on Sunday mornings), I have been attending Singles Night Out events (which have been SO fun), and I am attending the women's retreat at Pine Cove in a couple of weeks. I praise God for providing such an amazing group of believers, both in the congregation and in the 20-somethings!