Faith in the up-and-out
Pamela Kennedy
July 16, 2024
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Exodus 3: 7-10 (NRSVA)
7 Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’
I once heard a story of a woman who accidentally nudged her keys off the worktop and into the bin…which was very full. There was nothing else for it: down went her hand into the black bin bag. At first it was more the thought than anything else as she rummaged through the top layer. But as her hand went further down, things started to get more and more unpleasant. The keys, being heavy, had made their way to the very, very bottom, amidst the sludge that lurked there. But she found them and pulled them up, up, through the layers and out entirely, giving them a good wash to restore them and setting them out to dry. The story was told by a woman, eyes brimming, who explained that in those moments her conviction was that this is exactly what the Lord had done for her.
After hiding his face in fear, I can only imagine what balm the Lord’s assurances must have been to Moses. God tells him, I have seen and heard all that my people suffer, and I have come down to rescue them. I will take hold of them from where they are, in their slavery and suffering, and I will bring them up and out of that darkness and oppression.
Not only, says the Lord, will He rescue them, but He will grant them abundance. Not only will He set them free, but He will bless them and locate them. He will give them a place. And He will use Moses to do it.
Too good to be true? Not where the Lord is concerned!
Prayer:
God of abundance
Thank You that, in Christ, Your restoration is already underway: unstoppably unfolding.
Grant me faith to willingly participate with You in Your great and wonderful work in the world. Enable me to catch Your big picture.
Amen
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