Day 40: Celebration
Written by Liz Carder
Celebration as a discipline. What?
“We must celebrate with a feast….so the party began.” Luke 15:23-24
I attended a wedding recently that was really really focused on the guests having a great time. I left wanting to send a thank you note to the hosts! I also have a dear friend who goes ‘all in’ for her parties, whether for Christmas or a friend’s first baby, she goes ALL OUT. Every celebration I leave feeling so special and grateful to be a guest!
My kids want to celebrate every holiday–decorate the house, make special things. They think a year in advance about their next party for their birthday and how they can celebrate. They are always thinking about whose birthday is when and what we will do to celebrate. And I think it’s because we were all created to celebrate!
Here are a few ideas from Foster about Celebration: “Celebration brings Joy into life…Without joyous celebration to infuse the other Disciplines, we will sooner or later abandon them …Only one thing will produce joy, and that is obedience. To elicit genuine celebration, obedience must work itself into the ordinary fabric of our lives…When the power that is in Jesus reaches into our work and play and redeems them, there will be joy where once there was mourning. To overlook this is to miss the meaning of the Incarnation…Celebration comes when the common ventures of life are redeemed.”
Isn’t it great that life-giving celebration comes with what sometimes seems like ‘boring old’ obedience? A key result of an obedient relationship with our loving God, the friendship of Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is the undeniable need to celebrate!
Creativity is unleashed, community is brought together, and pure fun results. Foster mentions that Celebration can be healing, help us relax, and give us perspective. “Celebration can free us of an inflated view of our own importance and thus free us from a judgemental spirit.” And then, he mentions, joy begets joy. Let’s Celebrate some more!
So what can you celebrate today? What can you plan to celebrate (simply or elaborately) with those around you? Who can you bring into the celebration? We are created to experience and share pure JOY. Spend some time listening to what God has for you to celebrate. What can you learn from this discipline?
Write This Way: Start looking for stories in the Bible about celebration, and see what God may have to teach you about this. Here are a few places to start, and I enjoy the New Living Translation.
Luke 14:15-24
Luke 15
Nehemiah 12:43
Esther 9:20-22
Deuteronomy 26:11
About the Author
Liz Carder is a Muncie native and enjoys living in Indiana with her family, where she is convinced there are the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Liz celebrates a good cup of coffee, riding horses, exercising with friends, and all things about sloths. She is thankful for good friends and loves volunteering in Commonway Kids.
