Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president

The holidays are over.

The gray skies of our area are very prominent. The darkness and short days are still very much a part of our lives here in the PNW.

For some, the holidays can be depressing. For others, the time after the holidays when life returns to normal hurts. Frankly, I like both. Holidays are fun. The change of pace is great.

However, I think I am most thankful for plain regular days.

Days that involve some work followed by time at home. Days that involve routine such as caring for the yard or tinkering in the garage. Days that may find you working on your taxes for the previous year (yes, tax season is coming.) Just everyday regular days with a type of rhythm to them that is comfortable and, in some ways, assuring.

In our walk with God there are really high days which we can celebrate and enjoy.

The weekly Sabbath is and should remain a high day. Those days can be even more special when we celebrate Christmas, communion, a baptism, or a special children's program.

Yet there are also the regular days that come in between those high days.

God is with us in the regular days as well. Numbers 28 gives instruction to the Israelites for the high times as well as the regular times. We, of course, do not follow the sacrificial system today. However, there are things we can learn from those instructions for our own walk with God.

The first instruction in chapter 28 told what to do on a regular basis. Each morning and evening, the priest was to come to the altar with a sacrifice. That sacrifice pointed to the coming Savior. That was the regular occurrence each day.

As you read the rest of the chapter, you see instruction was given for what to do on the high days of worship. Something very interesting is written at the end of the instructions for each high day. The high day instructions were written in addition to the regular daily instruction. In other words, whatever happened on the high celebration was in addition to the regular practice.

What does that mean for us?

God values a daily conversation with us; not just on the Sabbath; not just at special celebrations. He wants it all the time. The high worship times are supposed to be an extension of our daily times with Him. So, I am thankful for regular days spent with Jesus in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening. I am thankful for regular days knowing with assurance that Jesus and I are friends, and He is my Lord and Savior.

I am thankful for regular days walking with Jesus.

This year, with all the regular days in front of us, let us spend time each day with Jesus and the assurance that He is our Lord and Savior.

If you would like a prayer journal to help in both the regular days and the high days, we will be glad to send you one. Just email Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn.Herman@wc.npuc.org!