Acts 20:16,  For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.  

Today in 2024 is the actual Jewish date for Pentecost, the feast of weeks.  Just a quick background;  Pentecost is also known as Shavuot, the Feast of weeks which comes 50 days after Passover (Easter).  Pentecost/Shavuot is the day that God gave Moses the Law/Ten Commandments (Plus) and He told them to celebrate these days for a reason.  Every major event in Jewish history has fallen on one of the dates or times that God told them to remember and hold as sacred.  Passover was when they put the blood on the doorposts and also the day Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  (There are so many more than I obviously am listing here)

Counting out 50 days from Passover is Shavuot/Pentecost.  When God brought them out of Egypt the Israelites had lived under the influence of Egypt and all of its pagan ways so God was giving them clear direction for how to live.  He wanted to free them from those pagan ways, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, He was reminding them that He alone is God and all of the plagues in Egypt were put in place to show them as well that those gods of Egypt were nothing because every single plague was a direct attack against the Egyptian gods.  Those plagues were not just there to punish Egypt but were there to show God to His people.  The law is full of direction to keep them from falling back into all of that if they would just follow it.  It was a day to show them the Freedom found only in Him!  The Israelites had not only been enslaved, they were abused and confused.  They thought God had forgotten them and they needed healing and direction.  How many people today need healing and direction as well?  Once again the Word of God shows us that true Freedom, life, and healing can only be found in Him.  He gave the gift of His Spirit to all Christians who accept Him as their Savior so we can experience freedom and healing and we can have His direction every day if we will allow Him to guide us by His Spirit.  Too often we get in the way with our own agenda or things that maybe we don’t want to give up, some even want to claim God’s grace to live any way they choose but that is not God’s plan!  God was giving them a fresh start and that is exactly what He does when we accept Him as our Savior and we allow Him to be the Lord of our life.  I believe that is definitely worth celebrating!  

There is a reason God told them to remember these days and to hold them as sacred.  He wants us all to remember who He is and all He has done!  While so many people want to ignore or cover up history they miss the fact that it is in remembering that we move forward.  We don’t live in the past but we must learn from it.  God’s Word has been given to us so we can remember!  The entire Bible from Genesis/B’resheet to Revelation is all about Jesus in one way or another because He wants us to know Him.  Your best life will always be found in Him and His direction.

While there is so much depth in the Word of God He has made it something we can understand and dig into so we can know Him.  There’s no guesswork for how we are supposed to live, He laid it all out for us.  He desires to be active in your life, to heal your broken heart, and to guide you through all you may face in life, but He won’t force you to.  It is your choice as He told them through Moses in Deuteronomy 30:19,  I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;”  

So while we celebrate that God has chosen to give us His Spirit to live and guide us let’s make sure that we also take the time to get to know Him more every day and to apply all that He shows us because as I have said many times, His best is yet to come but only if you choose to walk with Him!