One Week

I am right in the middle of my Semester break and there are two weeks to go before the start of the new Semester. One week has passed quickly. Within a week, there are 7 days and the week is a basic unit in the accounting of time, even as we approach the Feast of Weeks otherwise known as Pentecost in about 10 days' time or on 30th May according to the Jewish calendar. The Feast of Weeks is also a counting of time, to be exact, 7 weeks after the Sabbath of the Passover with the weaving of the sheaves signifying harvest season is upon the people of God. From Passover (14th Nisan) when barley is harvested to Weeks (6th Sivan) when wheat is harvested we have 50 days, hence the Greek's 50 "Pentecost". Jerusalem is about to celebrate its Golden Jubilee (5-10th June 2017) but according to the Hebrew calendar it was celebrated 2 days ago on the 28th day of Iyar or the 3rd day of the 6-Day War when East Jerusalem was reunited with the rest of the city under Israeli control for the first time since Israel's founding in May 1948 or perhaps we can count further to almost 2,000 years ago in 70AD when the Romans razed the Temple of God in Jerusalem and the people of Israel and Jerusalem dispersed around the world (the diaspora) until their return to the land of Israel almost 70 years ago.
Counting of days especially weeks is important, to see how productive we are and to remind us that time does not stand still and it progresses from the hour, day, week, month and year. Revelation 9:15 has the blowing of the sixth trumpet, the penultimate trumpet before the coming of God's kingdom on earth described thus: "So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind." Thus, I make it a point to make everyday count, though on holidays I try to relax and rest a bit more. At the end of every day I will spend some time reflecting on how things have gone during the day and determine that I shall do better or be more productive the next day. Whether it is praying more, reading the Bible more, reading on theology or books, ministry to friends and neighbours, I want to do more each day. I have planned to finish marking all my papers and exams script within the first week of my Semester break and I am glad at end of the 2nd week I can say I got them done. The delay was caused by the sudden invitation to give two sermons/lectures at the forthcoming Pastors' Conference and I had spent the first week writing two long sermons (close to 2,000 words each but will be lengthened to 2,500 words). I may have 3 or 4 days to edit and improve on the talks which I will do next week but I have to get my lectures ready especially on letter to Hebrews and Romans. I will just have barely a week to have them written and I hope I get at least 2 or 3 weeks' lectures written up before I return to Namaus in 2 weeks' time. After preaching on three Sundays in April, this month is unusual for the lack of speaking engagements which is might as well since I shall be preaching on Pentecost Sunday (4th June) and two sermons on the following Tuesday (6th June).