Year of Jubileephoto credit: Deborah Colquohon
The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me
to preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God.
Isaiah 61:1-2
These past days, I've been turning back the pages of time. I came across a couple of journal entries that I want to appear on this blog as my introductory posts for the New Year 2009.
I only have one New Year resolution -- and that is to move up to the next level of my life that God has planned for me.
In desiring to move on, as the storm clouds around me are beginning to clear, I have re-read these entries of days past, and my heart is awed as I am once again reminded of what God has done.
JOURNAL ENTRY FOR MARCH 27, 1953
I turn 50 today March 27, 2003.
Can anyone share how I feel? I'm really excited to be at this age. After all, one turns 50 only once in a lifetime.
I feel so important, so significant! Makes me feel like I'm being called by God to do an eternally significant thing -- like there is a glorious path that is opening up before me, and I find myself on this path. What a privilege!
I call this my Jubilee Year.
In the history of Israel, Jubilee is the 50th year, coming after the seventh Sabbath year (or after 49 years). It is the year when captives are released, debts are wiped out, slaves are set free, and lands revert to their original owners. No matter how bleak everything looks, everyone can look forward to the year of jubilee because then everything starts all over again on a clean slate.
And so this year, I declare I will walk, talk, think, and do, JUBILEE.
I generally keep my "accounts" current. This means that I don't keep long lists of what people owe me in my relationships. Nevertheless, when I look under the carpets or peek into the nooks and crannies of my life, I must admit that some hidden lists remain.
This is a good year to open the prison doors in my heart, and decide it is time to let people I have imprisoned there through unforgiveness, through demands that they measure up to my expectations, through demands that they stay there until they have "paid back" everything I feel they owe me as my right, my fair share, my just dues... it is time to let them go.
I don't want to hold on to rocks of offense by my continued recitation of a litany of past hurts which only become fresh ammunition for re-opening old wounds. I open up the prison doors and set all these captive people free. In doing so, I set myself free.
Life is difficult enough even without my carrying that overweight backpack. For a prison is not only a dark place in my heart, it is also an unnecessary burden that weighs me down and keeps me from moving on. EVer looming before my eyes, it becomes a negative standard by which I measure every person and circumstance. The past assumes the role of an oppressive taskmaster that keeps yelling at me, "Never forget! Never go beyond this hurt! Remember what they did! Remember how it felt!"
Well, this being my jubilee year, it is time for me to say, "Enough is enough." It is time to tear up the record of wrongs, and start all over again...on a clean slate.
What a release!
And this year, not only will I refuse to re-live past hurts, I also refuse to walk in past victories.
"This is the time like never before to let go," says a dear author friend. Today, I will allow my precious alabaster jar which I have held on to for the longest time, to be broken, let the fragrance of the pure spikenard flow, and give my Creator the freedom to do a new thing in my life.
I choose, this being my jubilee year, to walk in the newness of life.
This is the acceptable year of the Lord, this is the year of Jubilee.
Let my life this jubilee year be as a challenge that I offer to others around me. Will you accept the challenge? The choice is yours to make.
I only have one New Year resolution -- and that is to move up to the next level of my life that God has planned for me.
In desiring to move on, as the storm clouds around me are beginning to clear, I have re-read these entries of days past, and my heart is awed as I am once again reminded of what God has done.
JOURNAL ENTRY FOR MARCH 27, 1953
I turn 50 today March 27, 2003.
Can anyone share how I feel? I'm really excited to be at this age. After all, one turns 50 only once in a lifetime.
I feel so important, so significant! Makes me feel like I'm being called by God to do an eternally significant thing -- like there is a glorious path that is opening up before me, and I find myself on this path. What a privilege!
I call this my Jubilee Year.
In the history of Israel, Jubilee is the 50th year, coming after the seventh Sabbath year (or after 49 years). It is the year when captives are released, debts are wiped out, slaves are set free, and lands revert to their original owners. No matter how bleak everything looks, everyone can look forward to the year of jubilee because then everything starts all over again on a clean slate.
And so this year, I declare I will walk, talk, think, and do, JUBILEE.
I generally keep my "accounts" current. This means that I don't keep long lists of what people owe me in my relationships. Nevertheless, when I look under the carpets or peek into the nooks and crannies of my life, I must admit that some hidden lists remain.
This is a good year to open the prison doors in my heart, and decide it is time to let people I have imprisoned there through unforgiveness, through demands that they measure up to my expectations, through demands that they stay there until they have "paid back" everything I feel they owe me as my right, my fair share, my just dues... it is time to let them go.
I don't want to hold on to rocks of offense by my continued recitation of a litany of past hurts which only become fresh ammunition for re-opening old wounds. I open up the prison doors and set all these captive people free. In doing so, I set myself free.
Life is difficult enough even without my carrying that overweight backpack. For a prison is not only a dark place in my heart, it is also an unnecessary burden that weighs me down and keeps me from moving on. EVer looming before my eyes, it becomes a negative standard by which I measure every person and circumstance. The past assumes the role of an oppressive taskmaster that keeps yelling at me, "Never forget! Never go beyond this hurt! Remember what they did! Remember how it felt!"
Well, this being my jubilee year, it is time for me to say, "Enough is enough." It is time to tear up the record of wrongs, and start all over again...on a clean slate.
What a release!
And this year, not only will I refuse to re-live past hurts, I also refuse to walk in past victories.
"This is the time like never before to let go," says a dear author friend. Today, I will allow my precious alabaster jar which I have held on to for the longest time, to be broken, let the fragrance of the pure spikenard flow, and give my Creator the freedom to do a new thing in my life.
I choose, this being my jubilee year, to walk in the newness of life.
This is the acceptable year of the Lord, this is the year of Jubilee.
Let my life this jubilee year be as a challenge that I offer to others around me. Will you accept the challenge? The choice is yours to make.
5 comments:
Fifty is a jubilee for sure. Last February was my jubilee and the few years leading up to the nifty fifty prepared me to accept all that is to be at this stage of life. I let go of coloring my hair (bondage), began taking better care of my health, forgave more, letting burdens fall by the wayside. You too will have a joyous jubilee with your freedom in Christ. This IS the best stage in life ... enjoy it!
Maria, although I'm not yet fifty, I too, desire to walk in Jubilee. The evil one knows how to stir the emotions of past hurts and betrayals; this is why the Bible commands us to walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)." (Amplified)
Thank you for encouraging me to press on in Jubilee!!
Bless you, Dear Friend!!!!
Dearest Friend...you are always pointing us higher, to Jesus. Thank you for the reminder to make this year a year of jubilee...freeing others from the debt I think they may owe...because as you have pointed it out, it is a good and acceptable thing to our Beloved!
Wow, I'm just starting to read your blog...and my first 'sense' is that tone of 'freedom'...an eagle soaring...great post...wisdom..thank you...
Sita
Last year was my jubilee year. I am now 51.
When it hit, I didn't expect quite the reflection that I found myself in. But it was good. I found a new resolve to move forward with greater intentions of living.
For some reason I felt as if I was starting a new journey of stepping into the "older woman" role.
Now one year later I see greater healing, greater growth and a greater depth of His love revealed.
It was good to read your heart here.
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