Sabbath Devotional :: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

The Spiritual Practice of Celebration

After a few too many episodes of Bridgerton*, my kids decided to throw a ball. Music blaring, my son invited me to dance and with lots to do, I half-heartedly committed to “be there soon.” The second time he summoned me, he reminded me “Don’t miss it!” and a stirring in my heart propelled me to the dance floor. While I danced this devotion took shape in my mind.

Dancing at the Living Room Ball reminded me of some recent reading (geeking out) I’ve done about women in ancient Israel. In both religious and secular settings, singing, dancing and drumming were considered women’s work. Scholars point to a particular hand drum, the tof, referenced throughout the Old Testament that was played only by women. The wording of other ancient texts and visual art affirm that female musicians were an important part of cultural events and celebrations. The first and most famous example is in Exodus 15 when Miriam and the women with her celebrated the crossing of the Red Sea.

This precious glimpse into ancient womanhood is inexplicably satisfying but that’s not the only reason I find it compelling. As a musician, I know that performances don’t happen by accident. Even a good jam session is made possible by the seemingly invisible and very-easy-to-forget gradual building of skill over time. For ancient women, carving a drum and curing leather for a drum head would have been a project. Collaboratively composing and rehearsing would have taken time and intention. They were able to offer praise to God at the appropriate times because they prepared.

Today is Palm Sunday, the celebration of Christ’s triumphal procession into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Jesus’ disciples gathered to praise him, softening his path with branches and clothing, shouting Hosanna. Rejoicing on Palm Sunday bookends Holy Week with days of celebration despite the murky middle of the week. The celebration of Christ on Palm Sunday showed he had devoted followers who recognized him, even before all was revealed and even with rumblings of trouble ahead.

MWEGers seem to be very good at mourning with those who mourn. Our hearts home in on injustices and we want to help! From war to hunger to (political and theological) policies that hurt, the burdens seem heavy. Frankly, to “laugh without fear of the future” (Prov 31:25) seems like an audacious, flying-leap of faith. Maybe that’s why it’s attributed to a righteous woman. It takes similar effectual faith to mourn with those who mourn as it does to let go and be merry with rumblings of trouble ahead.

Nehemiah 8 tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. I wonder how the strength gained by their celebration, their memories of collective praise, fortified Christ’s disciples through the darker days of that first Holy Week. I wonder how we might praise our Lord today in ways that will strengthen us in days to come.

I leave you with the refrain of a favorite old hymn and invite you to a season of rejoicing in Christ’s character as you ‘look full in his wonderful face.’ May your merriment bring strength to your soul.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face

and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

in the light of his glory and grace.

*Be ready to fast forward. It gets spicy.