One More Count

Today, I would like to bring to our mind a thought regarding the counting of days taken from the former Testament scripture’s inspired words of God, spoken through Moses to the people of Israel. Beginning the second day after Passover, the people were commanded to count “omer” for fifty days (from Passover to Shavuot, which marks the giving and receiving of the Law). This period of time coincides, not necessarily on the exact days, given the differences between the lunar and solar calendars of Judaism and Christianity respectively, with the Christian celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection and the intervening fifty days preceding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

A phrase I have read from a book about Jewish Sacred Practices, published by the National Center for Learning and Leadership, explains an omer as a measurement, that which we need to sustain us, such as when God provided mana in the desert and the people could only gather what was needed for each day because left-overs spoiled.

Quite often, at the end of the day, I thank God and count the blessing of omer. He continually supplies what I need for the day: faith, grace, love, hope, strength, guidance, physical sustenance, the list goes on. He never runs out, and I always have enough.