Devo Week 46

Light Overcomes Darkness -- Shadows of Christ (Part 2)

Genesis 8:22 says God has marked the times and seasons. This means calendric celebrations were God's idea and evidence of the Creator will be found there. As God began highlighting this truth to us, we started seeing the 'shadow of Christ' among many different people groups.

Key Concept: Jesus as the Vine

Many smaller and larger people groups center their life events around a lunar calendar from which we get our seasons. The Village Swing festival was one of the Akha’s calendric events. While attending this celebration we began to discover 'shadows of Christ’ there. First, we saw Christ as our high priest (as discussed in Devotional 45). Then, as we watched villagers cling to the woven vine while swinging, we saw another 'shadow of Christ.' In John 15, Jesus described Himself as the 'vine.' Likewise, we are to cling to Jesus with our lives. The Swing was a beautiful picture of faith!

Shadows are simply the result of the "light of Christ" shining among a people. Jesus is the light of the world. In Him we find our salvation and all of its benefits. He is our high priest and the 'one vine from heaven.' (Acts 4:12)

Key Word Definition: new moon celebrations (plural noun)

-- "But our God is a God of multiple new beginnings, new seasons, and fresh starts! Instead of celebrating once a year, God asks that the beginning of every month, each new moon, is celebrated – that’s twelve new beginnings instead of one! This is called 'Rosh Chodesh,' or 'head of the month.' It’s interesting that the word for month, 'chodesh,' is from the root word for new: 'chadash.'"

(quote source: https://tinyurl.com/matcrw7c)

Excerpt from Devotional 46 with highlighted word:

"We discovered a shadow of Christ at the Akha’s Village Swing festival (see Devotional 45). It is one of those 'new moon celebrations' that the Apostle Paul talked about in Colossians 2:16-17. In addition to the Village Swing being a partial remembrance of the first Great Flood, it is a ceremonial blessing presided over by their high priest to secure blessing and protection over their village and coming rice harvest."

Scripture: John 1:5

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”