Sabbath Thought – Holy Day Vision

“Life is hard, and then you die.” 

This is the philosophical outlook of too many in the world around us – life is a series of troubles, trials, dead-end work and then it’s over before you know it. There is no doubt that each of us can have our share of trials, but the question for me is: “Why?” Why does God allow it to be so hard for us at times? Sometimes those trials last for long stretches of time.

It can be easy for us to give God the stink-eye when we run into difficulty in life, but it is my opinion that usually we are the source or cause of most of our problems. We make bad decisions, choose to ignore counsel, decide to ignore God’s instruction or simply want to enjoy the pleasure of sin in that moment. God made man free-moral agents, which means we have the option of choosing poorly. That is not God’s fault.

We are in the heart of the fall Holy Days – God’s overview and rehearsal of His plan of salvation for mankind. When all of His Holy Days are fulfilled, mankind will have either chosen to yield to His instruction – or not. Those who refuse to live according to His law will cease to exist forever. Those that are in His family will have a future beyond our current ability to understand. What is pursued in this world (age) will be seen as worthless compared to what God will provide for His family then.

In looking at trials of this life, I keep coming back to a simple question, “What is worth clinging to in this life?” Another way of asking the question is, “What is of more value in this world than the eternal life God is offering?” This is the question asked by Paul in Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Do we value things like clothes, a car, a house, a job, fame, fortune, recognition or power more than our relationship with God? Would we be separated from God because of our health, or a lifestyle, or an intellectual pursuit? Outside of our relationship with God and taking on His character, what will last through eternity? I can’t help but think that God allows us to go through the various struggles in our life in part to see – to know – that there is nothing in this world worth clinging to. It is all temporary (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

The point of this life is to build the necessary character in order to have eternal life. This is the summary of God’s Holy Days. God tells us that if we put Him first, then He will give us everything else – life without end, wealth beyond measure, minds like His with all of it based on His love, care and service to others. When we are standing in that place in the future, perhaps we will look back and see how much energy we spent on needless worry and pursuit of things that were really not worth it. Perhaps we will wish that we spent more time with God’s people and in taking on His nature. Perhaps we will marvel at God’s mercy with how slow we were in comprehending the majesty of what God is offering to all of mankind.

God’s Holy Days give us a vision of a life that He wants for each of us – a life as part of His family for the rest of eternity. Don’t just show up on the Holy Days – make them a personal vision of what your future can be. If we do, then we can answer Romans 8:35 with, “No one and nothing!”

I wish you a spiritually rewarding Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day,

Dan Dowd

19 September, 2026