Episode #196 Share This FUN Experience with God, from the Old Testament! – What’s Going On?!

Hey friend, it's Jen, and welcome to Good God Talks. We're in a series right now titled What's Going On? And we're talking with God about what to do when it feels like the world around us, whether that's out there in the world or in here in our own homes and hearts, just starts feeling crazy.

And our last couple episodes kind of ended up being about food. We were bringing food and eating habits and body image into our conversations with God, asking for his insight about it. And then the last episode before this one, we talked about hungering for righteousness.

And today, we're actually talking about sharing a fun experience with food with the Lord. But first I just want to acknowledge that when we're in survival mode, when we're literally trying to make it through each day, the idea of fun is hard to relate to.

I know that's the case for me.

Even in seasons where I'm trying to balance work, I'm usually trying to balance work with rest, replenishment, finding fuel to keep me energized and motivated, and sustain my life as I keep moving forward.

But fun can feel like an extravagance.

It can feel like something that doesn't even apply to my current season. But I want to pose to you in this episode the possibility that God wants to offer you fun, anyway.

And that's because we're made for rest. We're also made for work. We're also made for delight and enjoyment. We're made to worship our awe-inspiring, beyond comprehension, incredible God. He provides for our needs, and he invites us to participate in his provision with him to celebrate and rejoice.

Scripture is full of feasting imagery, and we're actually going to look at a passage of scripture that I didn't notice until fairly recently when I was studying about the tithe.

Tithe means 10%. But for ancient Israelites, God had really specific instructions for them on how they were to use these tithes. There were different forms that they would bring to the Lord for various purposes. Some was to support the Levites, who didn't own property. Some was given as sacrificial offerings that were consumed, and some was given to the poor.

And this episode is not about the tithe. I'm not trying to give any instruction about what to do with a tithe from your own finances.

But I want to read for us a few verses from Deuteronomy 14:22-26. And it says,

“’You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.’” (Deuteronomy 14:22)

And ancient Israelites were predominantly an agrarian culture. They farmed the land and raised animals. And in verse 23, it continues. And it says,

“’And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there…’” (Deuteronomy 14:23a)

So for them that was the temple.

“’you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you…then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.’” (Deuteronomy 14:23-24a,25-26) verse 24 shortened for brevity

God is giving his people instruction on what to do with what is produced from their land, how he blesses the work of their hands and their crops and their animals.

And he tells them, Hey, if you're close enough you and your families bring that 10 percent and eat it in my presence that you would learn to fear me always. And if it's too far for you, buy the things that you would desire to eat or drink, and then still eat them before the Lord. You and your household eat them with rejoicing.

God wanted them to enjoy something and to rejoice in his provision for them in his presence.

And by doing this, that also cultivates in them a fear of him.

And that's not fear to be afraid, as we talked about in a recent episode too. I'll put that link in here, but that's to honor and revere. To worship him. To want to please him. And so one of the ways that God tells them that they will learn the fear of the Lord is by rejoicing and eating of his provision in his presence.

As I reflected on this passage, I was struck with the relational aspect of this invitation. Hey, take a break once a year from all of the work that you're doing in the land and come and take some of what I've blessed you with and enjoy it here with me.

And so if this idea of having fun with God this way feels like a stretch for you, I also have a few other episodes that could be helpful to you, and we'll put links here for those too.

But today the invitation that we have before God is in the midst of everything else that's going on to ask him for a way that we can take a time out from that. He is our God with us. He says he comes and makes his home with us, and we can take a time out with God to enjoy something together.

Maybe that timeout includes enjoying a meal together or simply inviting God into your enjoyment of something else that you like to do. Something else that is full of joy or fun or rejoicing that would cultivate your awareness of God, your fear of the Lord.

And so here's our question:

God, what's a time out I can take with you to enjoy something together?

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

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