Today the New Moon was cited in Israel. Happy Rosh Chodesh, we have just begun the month of Cheshvan! But why on earth am I watching the new moons? What am I looking for? More than ever in my spirit I realize that I am looking, longing, yearning for the signs of Messiah Yeshua's return. He gave us signs in the earth and signs in the heavens to watch, and I don't want to miss a single sign! It seems very, very quiet in the news and in the earth right now. It feels to me like a quiet before a great storm. And we know a great "storm" of war, famine, disease and death must occur in the earth before He returns. But my focus is solely on HIM, our soon-coming King, so that I might know what HE is doing and not concern myself with what the enemy is doing.
Today a blog by Homer Owen really touched my heart. Homer cited this scripture and made the following comment: “By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10
"In the 13th verse of this same chapter we are told that Abraham did not receive the promises made to him but rejoiced anyway and welcomed them from a distance. He had to maintain an attitude of being a stranger and exile on the earth. God had prepared a city for Abraham in heaven and he keep his eye on this heavenly or everlasting reward."
So it is for us, beloved. We too are strangers and exiles on the earth. I never felt more an exile than I did during the great Feast of Sukkot, which I celebrated in Oklahoma. I mean I'm pretty sure Oklahoma is NOT the Promised Land! Smile. So I have to maintain Abraham's attitude of understanding that I am just an exile here, waiting to go HOME. Longing to go home. Yearning to go home.
Our Messiah did not come this Sukkot to establish His City, whose architect and builder is is God, setting up His reign upon the Earth for 1000 years. Maybe next Sukkot? Or the one following that? Let us watch the new moons and the seasons, and keep our eyes on this heavenly or everlasting reward! And let us rejoice anyway, as Abraham did, and welcome the promises from a distance...