Know God - day 7

(yes - a day late. The server the study is on crashed and I had to find a hard copy. Not to worry! I now have a hard copy of the entire study!!!)

Exodus 12, 13:17-22, 14, 15:20-27

Moses, Aaron, and painting your doorways with blood.  It sounded complicated - all the directions - it had to be this type of lamb,  you had to cook it a certain way. you had to dress a certain way to eat it.  but if you obey, you will not be judged. your firstborn will live.  This also after several plagues were brought down on Egypt.  (see ch 11)  What had ticked God off so much to bring such incredible pain and torment to these people?  Why was he judging so harshly?

Pastor has four conclusions about this:
1.  The plagues were really judgements on 'all the gods of Egpyt'.  They had numerous gods for everything from fertility to the sun to cleanliness.  The final plague - death - showed the people that their gods were useless in protecting them.  There was massive death anyway.

Is this important to us today?  Do we have gods we rely on? Unfortunately - yep.  Our gods don't have fancy names like Hekt or Osiris, but we rely on them for help and protection just the same.  What do we rely on besides big g God?  I am sad to say that I tend to rely on myself. My sorry self with all the flaws and weaknesses.  Money can be a big one.  If you have enough you are secure, safe, happy (???).  education - it can help you be successful. what ever that is.

2. The people were just dense and missed all the signs. They missed God.  When have we missed God's obvious presence?  I know I am guilty of often missing his presence.  My mind gets so full sometimes and there seems to be no room left for God.  and I can be very blind.  I see what I want to see. what i expect to see.  God often presents the unexpected to us.  I believe that he uses the ordinary to help us be aware of His extraordinary love.  Everytime I have gone to the cabin since our son died, I have seen at least one bluebird - its presence the first time was a comfort and reminder that Lucas was with God and that I had hope of future happiness.  On Christmas Day, one fluttered near the window.  My breath caught. then it flew away in a blur of blue.  God was there in that kitchen on Christmas Day...If I hadn't been looking out the window, I would have missed it.

3. Pharaoh got a taste of his own medicine.  Pharaoh's were notorious for killing people and one killed Israel's boy babies.  not just the first-born.  May God never judge us like that - 'to have done unto us what we've done to others.'  Have we ever had a taste of our own medicine? How was it?  pretty repulsive.  and not something a person forgets anytime soon.

4. God is not tame. Nor does he want to be tamed. or placed in a neat little box.  Human nature is to tame God - to make him easier to understand.  We recently did a few studies with an Andy Stanley video.  He does a piece where he describes 'his god' - everything his god would or wouldn't do that is particular to him and his life - nevermind everyone else!  Passover reminds us that God is not tame.  But he is Good! (see there's that 'but' again)
'God is holy, perfect, powerful, pure...and good.'  How have we tried to tame God by saying, "Well, the God I believe in could never ___"?  I used to say the God I believe could never allow good people to go hungry. or worse.

Then I visit Ecuador with Compassion in 2004.  The people were good. and innocent.  and without help they'd be starving.  an image that sticks in my mind were of three little girls that followed me around and when we were sitting in a worship service, they were picking nits out of each other's hair while leaning on my lap.  And God LOVES them.  (ok - first thing I did when I returned home was wash in lice shampoo - but I didn't have any problems).  I had people ask how I could believe in a God who allows babies to die.  My response was that I was jealous.  Lucas is already in His presence - I have to keep waiting.

The God tells the guys, "I am going to strike down..." and in 12:14 He tells them it will be a day of remembrance, a festival to the Lord.  for all generations.  It is a celebration still observed today...thousands of years later.

God is using this to remind us that he is powerful, a deliverer, and he loves us.  and he'll keep telling us until we get it through our thick human skulls.  Pastor says god is telling us, "If you want to remember something, throw a party and establish a tradition."  Being a true southerner - born and raised in Charleston - tradition is HUGE!!!  We don't take to kindly in the south, sir.  What traditions do you have that have nurtured faith?  One we do that we stole from someone is to have a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas.  Yes, i realize his birthday was more likely in the spring, but we did conform.  This helps keep the focus on why we are celebrating Christmas. In the Christmas season, we do shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  both kids do one for a child of their age and gender and I do one for Lucas.  Traditions to keep the focus on others.

I didn't grow up with too many (any?) faith nurturing traditions.  We are trying to create them as we go.  We celebrate our children's 'gotcha days' - the days they were adopted. not like a birthday.  This is a day for family only.  To celebrate when we became a family and an answer to many prayers.

Then God thought, (13:17-18) "If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt."  So he led them the roundabout way.

Have you ever gone a round about way to avoid someone, something, that you were afraid would prevent you from continuing on what you were doing?  God took them the roundabout way to avoid war and prevent them from returning to what they knew - a life of slavery.

Do you find yourself asking God for a straight answer? no challenges. a quick solution? put it in black and white? write it in the sky with a skywriter? send an email written in plain english?  How do we need to be more patient and trusting? (two things I have a LOT of trouble with!)  How might we look for God in the detours as well as the highways and quick answers?  I often wish to be hit over the head with a 2x4.  I have gotten so used to the wait and see of God that I tend to not see the obvious until he smacks me with it. Then I feel a bit sheepish because invariably, some else has figured it out long before me and was just waiting for slow poke stubborn me to catch up.  (typically my husband)