🍞 Manna for Meditation 72

💞 Dear Royal Praying Priests, shalom!

💎 “Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2Co 5:17, TLV)

💎 “However, you did not learn Messiah in this way— if indeed you have heard Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Yeshua. With respect to your former lifestyle, you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:20-24, TLV)

Nowruz is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year or the Festival of Spring. It is celebrated on the day of vernal equinox and it begins on 20 March this year.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not a Muslim festival and it is rooted in Zoroastrianism, which is an ancient Persian religion that predates both Christianity and Islam. Today Nowruz is observed in Iran, in Caucasus and across the Turkic World. It is a national holiday in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Nowruz means “new day” in Farsi, and it comes with different names such as Nauryz in Kazakhstan, Nooruz in Kyrgyzstan, and Navruz in Uzbekistan.

Nowruz is a time when families and friends gather together to celebrate new beginnings and new hope. Before the celebration, every family does a serious spring cleaning of the homes. The Central Asians celebrate Nowruz with traditional songs, dancing, music, food and nomadic sports such as horse games, archery and wrestling. The finest or new clothes are put on, and many people wear traditional attires for celebrations.

It is a wonderful opportunity to share the Good News by pointing out the new life in Messiah, and the new hope that Yeshua gives to us through His redemption. Let us pray!

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for You are the giver of life. As many Central Asians are in spring cleaning mode now, we ask You to open and soften their hearts for a spiritual check. We pray that they will humble themselves, begin a soul-searching process to find Yeshua, give their hearts to Him, lay aside the old self and put on the new self in Him, and walk with Him every day. We also pray for unity, strength and your divine guidance for those who share the gospel through all creative ways in the New Year. In Yeshua’s name we pray, Amen!