Day of Atonement

Yesterday evening I had one of these experiences that make one stop, wonder and stand in awe before the Maker of the Universe, before the Living God.

I discovered Thursday that there is something called Yom Kippur (Kippour) in the Jewish calendar and that this year it coincides with Aid Al Adha (first time since 33 years...). I thought oh cool! that is something! 

Of course, sadly, I had no idea what this Kippur feast is about...blame the course of history! And no one around me knew for that matter... And so I searched and I discovered!

Yom Kippur is apparently the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people (and that is saying something!! Them being the People of God and all...). I learned that it means the day of great mercy, the day of atonement...

This is day when Moses and Joshua heard a strange noise coming from the camp "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear." said Moses It was the day the people of the Great I AM, built a calf and sang and danced for it! That day when the wrath of God could have consumed them. to. aches. but because of the plea of Moses, He did not! Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. He had great, great mercy! The day of Great mercy.

I decided for that evening, (Friday evening that is), the eve of the day, to watch a Schindler's List. I cried a lot. It was not the first time I watch it or the first time I get moved by the atrocity of the Shoha (or any war and genocide for that matter) but that night something happened in my heart. I felt the weight of the world falling on me and a call to fall on my knees and ask for God mercy over me and over all the earth for every calf we erected, for every other god we worshiped, for all sins... I am not Moses, not near that at all but as I fell on my knees and closed my eyes, one Man I could see, one Man that saves, one Man that delivers. The One. The One that will deliver not like Moses did! The One that will take the sin of the world upon Him! The One that will atone, will do it once and for all. The Perfect sacrifice. It was a moment of crystal clarity where the truth shines so much that my eyes could not but flow rivers. Jesus Christ. His name is healing. His name is mercy. Wow! What a God we have! The Redeemer.. Not with blood of lamb but with the most precious Blood of The Lamb! It pierced my heart...

I woke up today with the word Mercy on my mind (yeah surprisingly!) and I even shared about this day discovery with a couple of people (I think they got bored of me mentioning "Oh did you know today is Yom Kippur?!"... sorry for that) but as the day passed I had one phrase coming back to my mind "The Lord is good to all"... The Lord is so good. People (by people I mean me!) He is so good. This is truth! Kippur day is not one day of the year for those who are in Christ. Kippur is right now. Kippur is right there a the feet of the cross. Come taste the goodness of the Lord. It is true. I know it seems too beautiful to believe but try it. He is good (with a stress on the is)...There is no limit to His bounty. No limit to His mercy. Because it is in Him who is Eternal. In Him, in Christ Jesus, the Alfa and Omega. Opener and Sealer. Beginning and End.