Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

PARTY ON!

January 1, 2010

Maybe I'm a half a day late or so... But Bernard Shaw was famous for the quote, "Puritans are the people who are desperately afraid that somewhere, someone is having fun." Or something like that. Mr. Shaw, like much of our world, knew little about Puritans, and less about his Bible.
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So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him--a vast assembly....They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
- 1 Kings 8:63-66 TNIV
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"Party on!" said Solomon. After the dedication of the temple, there was a huge party, and the people had a fun time, a party time, yet the focus was not self-indulgence, but their Lord and the blessings showered upon them. I suspect that was a forgotten element of much New Year's party revelry. But it's not too late to learn from Solomon this day and throughout 2010.

What a delight it can be, as opposed to recovering from self-indulgence, to go home "joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord has done..."
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson