While it’s easy to think of the Biblical feasts as a “Jewish thing,” they are more truly a Kingdom thing. They were always intended for all of God’s children, across all time. They are part of the rhythm He established in the year… simple ways of remembering who He is and what He has done alongside our children.
As the days ahead feel more uncertain than ever, there is something deeply steadying about returning to the rhythm that speaks to our original design. Which means that these small, intentional moments that we gather as a family to remember can help anchor us again in His faithfulness.
Leviticus 23:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My appointed times.’”
For many families who feel drawn to revisit what Scripture calls God’s appointed times, it can feel unfamiliar at first, even a little overwhelming. Often, it has only been seen through the lens of traditional Jewish practice or as something distant in history that seems, well, a little weird… But what we are stepping into is something much simpler and deeper, which isn’t about taking on another culture’s customs in a formal or exact way, but returning to something more foundational, that belongs to the rhythm God set in place long ago…
These appointed times weren’t meant to be obligations or big, commercial events attached to lots of social obligations and stressful hosting. They were intended to be anchors in time, gentle invitations to stop, remember, and realign ourselves with the truer reality that exists all around us. So, in this sense, they are part of the fabric of the Kingdom itself! There is no external pressure to celebrate in a certain way, pull together something complicated, or have special decorations, etc. These “feasts” are much quieter than that… they simply call families back to the table, to the real story we find ourselves in, back to gratitude, and back to the steady recognition of God’s provision and faithfulness even (and especially) in times of deep wilderness.
Exodus 12:14
“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”
This week, rather than trying to do something elaborate or perfectly structured with our kids (we tried this once years ago—did not go well), our focus is simply on being together. It’s enough to eat our meal, read aloud the story, taste a few symbolic foods, and walk through the story in a way that our children can understand and participate in.
I have been working on a small read-along PDF for my own family that we will be using as we move through Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits… the spring feasts of God’s Kingdom. I thought I’d share it with you if you’re interested.
I’m just sharing it here in case you would like to move through it over the course of the week as well. It meant to be something that can be picked up in the evening or woven into your dinner time without any pressure. Alongside that, even a very simple Seder meal has the power to draw the story of the great Exodus out of the pages of Scripture and into our own kitchens…
What can seem so distant all of a sudden becomes present; the leaving behind of a dominant, oppressive culture is no longer just something that happened long ago, but something that can be felt and understood in a real way again today. As the food is tasted and the story is told, it moves from something we hear only, into something we experience together, settling deeper into the memory of us and our children.
The heart of God’s feasts is in the remembering.
Because, when we lose sight of who we are and where we’ve come from, we can begin to drift (sadly, often without even noticing) into a life that no longer lines up with the deeper story God is telling through humanity and His world—and you!
His appointed times call us back.
They root us.
And ground us again in the soil of His perfect provision.
They place us again within His rhythm, as an invitation to remember where history started and where we are going within it. So, as we mark these moments, the pulse of the Kingdom is restored in us. Which means that we are centered again in the memory of His real and present goodness, and from that place, we are better able to walk into the days ahead with greater clarity, trust, and a sense of belonging to the God who saves.
Luke 22:19
“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”
We are remembering how God led His people, how He provided for the, and how He made a way where there was none. We are remembering that He is always the same, and when we gather our family like this, our home becomes aligned with the Kingdom once again!
Download my Free Passover Seder Mealtime Read Aloud here.