Friday, January 8: Joshua 5 The Passover.

Having crossed the Jordan in dramatic fashion, the Israelites circumcised all who were not yet circumcised (ouch). Then the Passover was celebrated for the first time in the Promised Land. The next day the manna stopped as Israel dined on the produce of the Land for the first time. All of this was a powerful prelude to the taking of the Land and the receiving of their inheritance from the Lord.

Yesterday, I commented about remembering and retelling, finding ways to retell, remember and relive what God has done in the past. Today, I found myself thinking about the Passover, which was Israel’s most powerful celebration of remembering, reliving, and retelling the wonders of God. I found myself musing over the different ‘flavors’ of three notable Passover celebrations.

Flavor one is the initial Passover. Curiosity and wonder must have certainly swirled that night. Nine plagues had struck Egypt; the last few plagues struck only the Egyptians not the Israelites. And then Moses orders the sacrificing of a lamb as families gathered, ready to leave at a moments notice. They ate unleaven bread and Passover Lamb. I tried to imagine what it would have been like in a typical family. No expectation, per se, since there was no history for this celebration. The first Passover was a blank slate but clearly God was on the move. Add expectation and excitement to the list of emotions.

Now poised during their first nights in the land, the Israelites remember that night 40 years ago when the journey to freedom began. Again they know God is on the move. God had just replicated the crossing of the Red Sea as He parted the Jordan and allowed this new generation to see His hand moving for themselves. Jericho is on the horizon, food abounds all around them. The promises of God are coming true! I imagine more wonder and excitement mixed with the thrill of witnessing a major miracle. The sweet taste of a promise, about to be realized, is flavor number 2.

My mind flashed to Jesus in an upper room with his disciples. The atmosphere charged with anticipation. For weeks Jesus has been a man on a mission, his face like flint bent on Jerusalem. Opposition is increasing as well. The signs of a coming storm abound. God is on the move. Then in a stunning change to thousands of years of ritual and tradition, Jesus spoke words that echo in the church to this day, “This is my body, This is my blood.” He was becoming the Passover Lamb. More excitement, move wonder, more curiosity. Yes, God was on the move.

The Passover morphs into the Lord’s Table.  It is a time for retelling, reliving and remembering the many ways the Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, has acted, is acting, and will act to preserve and prepare His people.

O, God, I revel in the wonders of Your actions this morning. You are the God who acts, the God who saves, who cares, who loves, who redeems. I bless and thank You for being You and for placing in my life these tangible ways to remember all You have done… I am blessed to be your child…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of creation…

 

 

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