The Sound of the Shofar...

Rabbi Jonathan blew the shofar today. I love that sound! It tells me to wake up. Repent. Prepare. Rosh Hoshanna ushers in the Days of Awe and encourages me to look ahead to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. As a member of a Messianic congregation and follower of Yeshua/Jesus, I am grateful my sins are atoned for by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus, my Blessed Savior...

Photo credit: worldatlas.com

AS THE FALL HOLIDAYS APPROACH

I reach for my sweater against the chill

The crickets are chittering

Sunflowers have shed their golden petals

and a few green tomatoes remain

abandoned on the vines

It’s September—

the High Holy Days are approaching

Soon I will gather with michpocah

in the parking lot outside Beth Israel

We will observe Rosh Hoshanna

Rabbi Jonathan will sound

his kudu shofar beneath the full moon—

Tekiah—Shevarim—Teruah—Tekiah Gedolah

Sages tell us the first day of the month of Tishri

is the day God created the world

the world He so loved

the world He gave His only Son to save

The trumpeting reminds me

to reflect upon my relationship

with this God of my salvation

reminds me, humbly, to prepare for Yom Kippur

So I ponder the Day of Atonement

ponder the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies

sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice upon the Mercy Seat

ponder the sacrificed goat and the scapegoat

ponder forgiveness

ponder my sins, atoned for by Yeshua

ponder my High Priest, the Perfect Sacrifice

Who offered His Very Own Blood

on my behalf

Next will be Sukkot

the Feast of Tabernacles—

From inside a leafy sukkah

I’ll be reminded of the sojourn of God’s people

to the Promised Land

reminded of my very own sojourn

toward God’s promise—

eternal life with Him

in Heaven

Maude Carolan Pych

L'Shanah Tovah!