HELLO HEART PARTNERS!!! I trust this post finds you all enjoying SUMMER in your neck of the world! DO YOU ever long for PLAY? Is your mind set on, PLAY is for children, for pets, and not for YOU? Well, I have been pondering PLAY, as it’s something I love and treasure as an integral part of my life! So, let’s take a deep dive and see what YAHUAH has to say about PLAY in our daily lives! Some of you might be so surprised to learn just how playful our ABBA is, and how HE displayed PLAYFULNESS in and through HIS SON and CREATION!

In HEBREW, the verb SACHAQ means to LAUGH, or to PLAY! It is actually a root word found in the OLD TESTAMENT. The word carries a variety of meanings, and my favorites are PLAYFUL FROLICKING, JOYFUL MERRIMENT, as well as LAUGHING in the midst of trials! And, did you know that it is related to the root “Tsachaq,” which shares the similar meaning, and is the basis of ISAAC…meaning “he will laugh!” Zechariah 8:4-5 speaks so wildly to me…take a read…Amplified Bible “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets (public places) of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of his advanced age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.” I love how we can see YAHUAH’S vision restored for Jerusalem after so much suffering, HE reveals HIS heart of restoration and it includes PLAY or SACHAQ! His promises are still true for us today, so let’s look more closely at PLAY for each of us in HIS CREATION! I also love 2 Samuel 6:1-5 CEPHER “Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of YASHAR’EL, thirty thousand…..vs.5 “David and all the house of YASHAR’EL played before YAHUAH on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on shofars, and on cymbals.” They were exuberantly celebrating the ARK of the covenant! I paused as I read the context around this celebration, and wondered if I celebrate ALL YAHUAH is doing and how HE is moving in my daily life? Can I break out in SACHAQ or PLAYFULNESS even in the tiny things? And I jump to HIS instruction to us…There may not be…a command in YAHUAH’S word (to PLAY)…but HE does give examples that show we were created to PLAY…such as GENESIS 1:20-21 AMP, and CEPHER “Then God said, “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let it’s soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” Vs. 21 CEPHER “And ELOHIYM created great dragons, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind, and ELOHIYM saw that it was good!” And even in Jeremiah 31:13 “the young men and old shall be merry” PLAY or SACHAQ is not just for children…YAHUAH created PLAY for us ALL…any age and stage of life, as we see at the beginning of CREATION! We can rest, PLAY, and celebrate for HIS GLORY!

Think about how you feel when you watch children PLAY with pure expressions of JOY and DELIGHT…if one is in a mood that is less becoming, often just observing, or joining the innocent PLAY of children will lighten and turn a mood around! When one watches closely you can perceive an overall reflection of a relationship operating in contentment and trust! That is how our FATHER sees us, when we let go of “human doing,” and instead interact with HIS creation as HIS CHILDREN! Just like Moms and Dads LOVE seeing their children enjoy an adventure, or a new toy, our ABBA LOVES seeing us engage and enjoy ALL HE CREATED, as it aligns with our CREATOR’S HEART! I love that theologians such as C.S. Lewis, and Dallas Willard, “describe creation not as a heavy obligation, but as an overflow of God’s JOY and DELIGHT!” We can also explore, (just like children) our Father’s call to have “childlike faith!” Mark 10:14-16 YAHUSHA’S WORDS…”But when Yahusha saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them: “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not: for such is the kingdom of ELOHIYM.” Amein I say unto you: Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of ELOHIYM as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” My heart beats faster just thinking about the children RUNNING to YAHUSHA with reckless abandon, and His own disciples pushing them away, (which is exactly what we do as adults when we perceive children as lofty, rambunctious, interruptive, or just being silly). I wish I could have been there, my heart welcomes their reckless abandon!

So, how is your PLAY this SUMMER? Are you seeing and thriving in HIS CREATION? We currently have two sets of twin fawns born in our back yard area…watching them leap and frolick is so fun and captivating…

We have JOY, JUBEE…and littles are…? Still in the naming process as we observe their PLAYFULNESS! My vote is FAITH and HOPE!

Look at the “teens” who visited today!! MERCY and GRACE!

Here’s LOVEE with her adventurous, and wild eyed wonder of shiny, wiggly things, and new tunnels!

FOXY…enjoying birdseed before BENNY and TEDDY wake up!

MY PUPS, and their PLAYFULNESS abounding in creation!

We all wear many hats in our day to day lives…but remember, Ephesians 8:10 TLV “For we are HIS workmanship—created in Messiah YESHUA for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand so we might walk in them.” To me that means…Don’t forget to PLAY, and SEE PLAY in HIS creation!! I am immediately reminded of Psalms 37:4-5 “Delight yourself In ADONAI, and He will give you the requests of your heart. Commit your way to ADONAI. Trust in Him, and He will do it.” Are you ready to PLAY? I hope today your heart is encouraged, find something you LOVE…and PLAY, or SACHAQ to glorify our FATHER in heaven! Make sure to DELIGHT yourself in HIM…(Did you know that DELIGHT in original Hebrew ”CHAPHETS” means; “to experience extreme pleasure, deeply treasure, happiness, and joy in something?”) It is truly amazing when we seek YAHUAH above all else, HE begins to transform us to reflect more of HIM and HIS purposes…which creates true ALIGNMENT! Side note, for those of you who know me well…when I walk into a room and children are present, the adults fade in my view, and I delight in watching and engaging in their interests, chatter, and SACHAQ/PLAY! I SEE HIM and HEAR HIM calling to JOIN, BE FREE, and LEARN more of HIS CHARACTER through HIS creations!

TODAY is a NEW DAY…YOU are cordially (Latin word for HEART) invited to COME AND PLAY…bring a play partner, your children, pets, or whatever your heart desires, and engage in HIS creation! Most importantly HAVE FUN, and SEE YAHUSHA everywhere! Sending so much love and encouragement to each of you!

SHALOM,

DanaKae