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A journey through Lent - 2016
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Day Six - Passed Over.
The first five days of our Lenten mediations have been hard work. The passages we have explored have been difficult to understand and today's is no exception.
Why were the first born of Egypt killed? On the surface another terrible act by a cruel and heartless God.
As you might expect by now, we have to dig deeper into these ancient stories of God's interventions in the world.
This event speaks to us on several levels.
We need to be able to trust - God wants us to trust that he is merciful and that he cares for us. He wants us to trust that he has come as Jesus to save and not condemn us. And he wants our lives to be filled with acts of obedience that show our trust in him.
We show that trust as we remember Jesus' death, which saved us, especially when we celebrate the Lord's Supper and as we rise from that table we strive to live lives of forgiveness and generosity.
There is also a great cost to our relationship with God. In our covenant service we say those lovely words "I am no longer my own but yours". We have to be ready to sacrifice ourselves to travel with God. This is not demanded of us but is a natural response to the great love which God has show us. This results in our need to share with others.
Along with the great cost there is a great reward, like the Israelites, we are able to start our journey knowing that God walks with us. What better reward could there be?
The story also illustrates the stubborness of our human condition. We are prone to dig our heels in, to react badly to demands however reasonable, especially if it means changing something in our lives. There is a great cost to that stubborness as we lose sight of God and his blessings for us.
The sacrificial blood on the door posts reminds us of all of these things we will encounter on our journey as people of God. Trust, cost, reward and temptation.
Bible Passage: - Genesis Chapter 9 Verses 8 - 17 (NIV)
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 'This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbour, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.
The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire - with the head, legs and internal organs. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it.
This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord's Passover.
'On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
Contemplation Saying.
"I will pass over you"
Contemplative Prayer.
Think of the saying in order to understand context and meaning,
Feel the meaning of the saying with and in your heart,
Pray, using the saying, for yourself or others. With only a name and without explaining the reasons or pre-defining any answers.
Listen for God's voice in the quiet of your prayers.
Pray using your own prayers or one of those which have been prepared below.
Hymn: "When we walk with the Lord"
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
[Refrain]
3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
[Refrain]
4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
[Refrain]
Let us pray together.
Twitter Prayer.
Help us to trust you, that in our times of testing you are always with us. Help is know we are marked as your people. Amen
Facebook Prayer.
Help us live lives which are full of forgiveness and generosity, always seeking to love our neighbours, always rejecting thoughts and actions which impair our relationship with you.
Help us to trust you, that in our times of testing you are always with us. That we are marked as your people and although we may not always be aware of it, your presence is ever with us. Amen
Full Prayer
Lord we pray for ourselves, a chosen people. Chosen not because of our worth but because you know each one of us intimately and can not bear to see an one of us lost to your loving presence.
We remember that we have all been chosen but also that we need to respond to that call.
We respond to your testing with trust and a positive energy and enthusiasm. Opening our arms, hearts and souls to receive your blessing.
Help us live lives which are full of forgiveness and generosity, always seeking to love our neighbours, always rejecting thoughts and actions which impair our relationship with you.
Help us to trust you, that in our times of testing you are always with us, we are marked as your people and although we may not always be aware of it your presence is ever with us.
We do not understand your eternal plan but we believe and trust that you have a place for us in your heavenly kingdom. We make that sacrifice of offering ourselves as ambassadors for your kingdom. May we be used by you or set aside for you. No matter our situation whether employed or at rest help us to shine your light into the lives of everyone we meet. Revealing your love and power through our lives.
Help us in this discipleship, in Jesus' name. Amen