LENT AT HP PRES
HPPRES.ORG/LENT MARCH 6
Ash Wednesday
12 & 6:30 PM, SANCTUARY APRIL 14
Palm Sunday
8:45 AM, SANCTUARY - CLASSICAL 10 AM, SANCTUARY - CONTEMPORARY 10 AM, PEAK STREET CHURCH 11:15 AM, SANCTUARY - CLASSICAL 11:15 AM, ALEXANDER HALL - ALL NATIONS 11:15 AM, WYNNE CHAPEL - MANDARIN APRIL 15–17
Holy Week Prayer Gatherings 12 PM, WYNNE CHAPEL APRIL 18
Maundy Thursday
12 & 7 PM, SANCTUARY APRIL 19
Good Friday
12 PM, SANCTUARY - HIGHLANDER CONCERT 7 PM, PEAK STREET CHURCH APRIL 21
Easter Sunday
6:30 AM, GOAR PARK - SUNRISE 8:45 AM, SANCTUARY - CLASSICAL 10 AM, SANCTUARY - CONTEMPORARY 10 AM, PEAK STREET CHURCH 11:15 AM, SANCTUARY - CLASSICAL 11:15 AM, ALEXANDER HALL - ALL NATIONS
THE EXODUS NARRATIVE displays the pattern of God’s work throughout the Scriptures and in life. It is a pattern of a people in need of deliverance from bondage and oppression. A deliverance accomplished by God through a person. A deliverance that led to freedom and dignity because of a relationship created between God and people. A deliverance that led to privileges and responsibilities. This pattern is not obscure and unattached to the reality of life, but deeply woven into it. It is deeply woven because God is the one who created, enacted, and completed this pattern. What God does for the Israelites is what Jesus does for all of humanity. As we enter this season of Lent we will jump off of the Exodus and dive deep into Jesus. We will see the pattern and see the person. And as we see the person of Jesus, we will carry with us the privileges of being co-heirs with Christ in a world that needs to be restored, needs to be delivered, and gets to know Jesus as we do. How will we do this? As God placed the Israelites on a journey, we are taking you on a journey. In the coming days and weeks, we will pay attention to the Exodus story and the person of Jesus, as we take on the spiritual practices of the Christian faith: prayer, surrender, confession, and more. Through these practices, we will dive deeper into this God who pays attention, who keeps his promises, who is powerful, who provides, who is present, who prepares a way, who gives purpose, and who loves. This God is our ever-faithful guide, just as he was for the Israelites. As we journey together, we encourage you to stay the course, enjoy God, and be willing to follow him to places you would not go on your own. His direction is not always what we would expect, but we can trust that he leads us out of his love and goodness – always. On the journey with you,
Laura Murray Pastor of Spiritual Formation, HP Pres
Cameron Beaty Pastor, Peak Street Church
WEEK ONE
6
The God Who Pays Attention EXODUS 2:23–25
WEEK TWO
16
The God Who Keeps Promises EXODUS 6:6–8
WEEK THREE
32
The God Who Is Powerful EXODUS 7:14–11:10; 12:29–32
WEEK FOUR
48
The God Who Provides EXODUS 12:1–32
WEEK FIVE
64
The God Who Is Present EXODUS 13:17–22
WEEK SIX
80
The God Who Provides a Way EXODUS 14:1–30
WEEK SEVEN The God of Purpose EXODUS 3:7–12
96
WEEK
1
The God Who Pays Attention
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. EXODUS 2:23–25
DAY 1 ASH WEDNESDAY
Eyes to See As our bodies are marked today with the sign of the cross, we remember our humanity and our frailty. We remember our need of a redeemer and rescuer. We remember we were once enslaved, and now are made free by Jesus. We can see that now, but we did not always see it. Our enslavement is only made obvious when the Holy Spirit makes it known. Our sin is made known to us when we see the perfect life of Christ. Enslavement cannot be seen unless we are shown. On this Ash Wednesday, may we see our freedom and may we hope for freedom from sin for others. May they have eyes to see as well. Let us hope and pray for the movement of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those in our neighborhoods, communities, schools, and workplaces, and beyond.
6
THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER We will begin Lent with the practice of prayer. Prayer is the simple act of talking with and listening to God. Prayer is the primary way we communicate with God. It can be done out loud or in quiet, alone or with others, on a run or sitting still. The opportunities are endless! Whether you are new or a veteran in this practice, take time to engage in it this week. ENGAGE In prayer today, thank God for your freedom in Christ. Ask God to burden your heart, and bring to mind those who have yet to know and experience freedom in Christ. Make a list of people who do not know Jesus. They could be family members, they could be people across the world, or they could be an acquaintance at work. Commit to praying for their hearts to be softened toward God.
DATE:
/
/
7
DAY 2 THURSDAY
Is It That Bad? How bad is it? How bad is our bondage, our captivity, our enslavement to sin? Are we being a little dramatic about it all? It is that bad. Evidence includes war and injustices on a grand scale, manipulation and white lies on a personal scale. It is the addiction we cannot knock, the mental lies we cannot overcome, the love we cannot receive, the brokenness of our bodies, and more. It is the exploitation of the weak and the abuse from the strong. It is the decay of creation and the disasters of the earth. Sin is that bad, and permeates everything in our world. Everything except Jesus. Jesus is the one who stands apart, stands above, and stands in place for us. He is the one who was never enslaved to sin yet surrendered to its power that he might save us. It is Jesus who says, “Yes, it is that bad, but I am greater.� Oh, what a rescuer!
8
ENGAGE Spend time in prayer telling God about your personal sins. Confess to him the ways you have harmed others, you have been selfish, or you have been proud. Confess to him how bad it is. As you confess, remember Jesus is greater, and he is ready to empower you to step out in faith and live in freedom from sin.
DATE:
/
/
9
DAY 3 FRIDAY
Desperate Demands The cries of the Israelites were desperate and demanding. They longed for their situation to be seen, their pains to be provided for, and their God to hear their groaning. What does it take for us to be desperate and demanding of God? What would it be like for you to express a desperate desire right now? Can you be this honest with God? Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.� The invitation from God is to trust and to let it out. He welcomes our desperation, our demands, and our desires. He is a God who longs to hear from us, who loves us, and who is ready to meet with us.
10
ENGAGE Spend time in prayer today talking to God about trust and being honest. Are you having trouble trusting him? Is there something you want to be honest about and do not know how? Are you afraid of how he will respond? Try talking to him as if he were a friend in the room with you.
DATE:
/
/
11
DAY 4 SATURDAY
Our Rescuer & Reconciler God’s response to the Israelites was to hear and to remember. To listen and to respond. His response was not to look to the memory of a promise but to act upon his promise of deliverance. God had made a covenant with the Israelites and he did more than remember, he began to move on it. As he moved in the lives of the Israelites, God moves in the lives of humanity through the life of Jesus. He promised a Savior, who would reconcile all things. This includes reconciliation between God and people, between creation and people, between one another, and within ourselves. When Jesus rescues us, he reconciles us with God, then spreads that peace and reconciliation in and through us, giving us the power to be ministers of reconciliation.
12
ENGAGE Read 2 Corinthians 5:17–19 and speak it aloud as a prayer. What are some unreconciled relationships in your life? These could be relationships between people and God, or between you and another. How might God want to expand reconciliation in your life and the lives of others? Pray for the courage and opportunity to take action toward reconciliation.
DATE:
/
/
13
WEEK
2
The God Who Keeps Promises
Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ EXODUS 6:6–8
DAY 5 SUNDAY
Learning To Hope Again Promises are a big deal. They are bound up with hope. Hope that what we’re longing for and what we need will show up 100% of the time every time. Whether it’s two-day Amazon shipping or a promise to love you for the rest of my life (and everything in between), there’s a right expectation that an “I promise” should be fulfilled.
THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
But what happens when the [fill in the blank] promise doesn’t show up? East of Eden every one of us has experienced and perpetuated the letdown of a promise that goes undelivered. So hope grows dim. Fear of a letdown replaces our faith not only in a promise but also in the one who promised.
Meditate on this Scripture today: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20). What assurance of God’s promise do you find here? As you continue to meditate, consider the last three promises you made to someone. Did you keep them or are they still unfulfilled? Through grace, take a next step in fulfilling those promises or forgiving those left undone. As you do, soak in the promise-keeping and forgiveness-extending mercy that God has shown to us in Christ.
God is not aloof to the reality that we’re natural skeptics in trusting his promises. Can he deliver on our unmet longings and our deepest needs? YES. But the way out of skepticism is to take your gaze off of unexpected circumstances and fix it upon a God who is unimaginably faithful.
16
The practice of Christian meditation is one that focuses on trust and on God. We do this by focusing on the promises and person of God found in the Bible. As we meditate, our minds are transformed and changed to believe good, to do right, and to love well. ENGAGE
DATE:
/
/
17
DAY 6 MONDAY
Weakness for Hire They were all present: Fear. Inadequacy. Uncertainty. What makes God’s choosing of Moses so surprising is that his weakness becomes the preferred channel of God’s redemptive purposes. Moses has no Top Five Strengths Finder, no portfolio, and no confidence big enough to stand before the people of God (Exodus 6:6), let alone the Pharaoh of Egypt (Exodus 9:1). It is a most unnerving and yet freeing realization: the grace of God is sufficient for weak people, for his power is made perfect in weakness. “... I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). God calls leaders to embrace their weakness so that Jesus gets the credit for transformed lives, not our strengths and strategies.
18
ENGAGE Meditate on both 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 and 2 Corinthians 12:7–10. Having lingered over these verses, try to describe the words strength and weakness. How do these definitions help you understand your weaknesses? Ask God to show you where he can leverage them for the sake of others that you might experience the sovereign strength of Jesus in your own real-life weakness.
DATE:
/
/
19
DAY 7 TUESDAY
The Name That Quiets Our Fears How can we know that God will keep his promises? God can seem so distant while our greatest fears are so eminent. Where is God’s promise to deliver us (Psalm 50:15) and dwell with us (Isaiah 41:10) in the midst of our real-life scaries? While the people of God are enslaved in Egypt, Moses has been called by God to deliver them out of bondage. The task seems impossible and the promise that God once made to his people now seems void. But God never forgets his promise, and he guarantees his promise will come to pass by declaring his name: “I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:6). Lord has gravitas. When the covenant name of “Yahweh” is evoked, God’s character and power are evoked. This name can deliver everything it promises, including the ability to quiet all our fears. It works on his timing and flexes its power when we are most powerless.
20
ENGAGE Take a few moments to meditate on Psalm 50:15 and Isaiah 41:10. What fears can these promises, fulfilled in Christ, speak to now? The promises of God to deliver us out of bondage and dwell with us forever are among the definitive promises God makes to us. What promises are you asking God to plant deeper in you?
DATE:
/
/
21
DAY 8 WEDNESDAY
The Promise to Draw Us Out Bondage has layers. In Exodus 12:40 we are told that Israel lived in Egypt 430 years. Most generations lived in slavery to the Pharaohs and the taskmasters that “knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). The story of the Exodus generation may seem far removed from life in real-time; but the Bible invites us to see our life in this world as one enslaved to the oppressor and the taskmasters of sin and death. And it goes deeper. We are not merely victims of living in bondage. We are brokers. We have participated in it, enjoyed it, and championed it via the deep idolatries of our hearts. The promise of God to deliver his people out from under the bondage to slavery (Exodus 6:6) is not only a promise for the Exodus generation. It is a foreshadowing of the promise to anyone for freedom from sin and death. A rescue that took place on the cross of Christ. It took the death of the son of God to draw us out of bondage.
22
ENGAGE Slowly read Romans 7:18–25 three times. In a quiet place, ask the Holy Spirit to show where your heart is in bondage. Acknowledge those places where you sense a total powerlessness to put sin to death. Acknowledge your guilt while also acknowledging God’s grace. Take a moment to listen to or sing the hymn “Amazing Grace.” Then rejoice in gratitude, thanking God for a great salvation accomplished in Christ.
DATE:
/
/
23
DAY 9 THURSDAY
The Promise to Draw Us In There’s a common thread that runs through the Old Testament: God wants to dwell with his people in mutual delight, not because he has to, but because he longs to. It’s the abiding affection that runs deep in the shows we watch and the stories we love. It’s the kind of relationship that so many are longing for and yet we’ve never experienced. It’s a relationship where we’re content in the freedom of being fully known and fully loved. It’s the feeling of “home.” And the promise of Exodus 6:7 is that those who have known life as slaves will now know a life of freedom. The once-and-for-all achievement of Jesus’ death and resurrection removes the penalty for sin, and it also procures our place at the Father’s table (1 Peter 3:18; Revelations 19:6-9). This is the gift that has been secured by Jesus. The more you continue to take this truth into the center of your being today, the more you’ll live like you’re headed “home” (because you are).
24
ENGAGE Read today through Luke 15:11–32 and meditate on the heart of the father, one of welcome, and home. Many in our day feel a sense of “homelessness” (physically, relationally, spiritually, etc.). With this in mind, consider hosting a good meal for a few of your neighbors. Pray and plan toward the logistics of who to invite and when to host it. Have guests contribute something and experience the joy of welcoming them into your home.
DATE:
/
/
25
DAY 10 FRIDAY
All Generations In Psalm 100:5, the Psalmist roots himself in this unchanging truth, “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations.” It’s the same motivation behind God keeping his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 6:8). Let’s think about this for a moment. Seasons come and seasons go. Even though the days seem long, the years fly by; and yet, the Lord will never ever outgrow his covenant commitment to his people. His faithfulness has no generational bias. From the Greatest Generation to Gen Z, God delights in committing himself to people, young and old, who find their bearing in Jesus. Within our families and within the family of God, God gives us opportunity to commit to this vital rhythm of blessing and honor. A life together where the younger generation honors the older, and the older blesses the younger.
26
ENGAGE Read and meditate on Psalm 78 today, considering whom you are to bless and honor. Spend time getting to know someone within the church who is a member of another generation. Invite this person and their family out for a meal. In these simple and faithful next steps, watch for the Lord to begin new friendships and relationships that result in his glory and our good.
DATE:
/
/
27
DAY 11 SATURDAY
Remembering & Resting The story of the Exodus is stunning. 430 years of waiting for a fulfilled promise. Oppressive regimes. Rivers turn to blood. Frogs everywhere. The death of firstborn sons via the judgment of God and the engulfment of an entire Egyptian army in the sea. How many times have you asked, “How long?” “Have you forgotten us?” Or, “Why does God allow tyrants to rule unjustly over his people?” “How will you deliver us?” These are honest questions, and God’s response is stunning. The Lord looks down from heaven, and he remembers. He promises to deliver with judgments on the wicked and redeem his people into a plush dwelling. He rescues. He redeems. He executes judgments and he provides an escape. He achieves victory for his people when all hope seems lost.
28
PRAYER Father in Heaven, you are the Lord. Because this is true, you are worthy of my trust and obedience. So help me to find rest nowhere but in your will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what you are up to. Not one of your promises have gone unfulfilled, both in your plan for the world and also in the particulars of my life. I walk by fret and worry far more than by faith. Enable me, by grace, to trust in your kind providences over my life. As you do so, Father, may that trust allow me to give my own life away for the sake of others. I want to see my neighbors, to open up my home to them, as you have done for me. My life is in your hands. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
29
WEEK
3
The God Who Is Powerful
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. EXODUS 9:13–17
DAY 12 SUNDAY
Digging In Hold your ground. Never give up. Yet digging in our heels in pride is foolish. Throughout the Exodus story Pharaoh’s stubbornness continues to show his foolishness. His pride leads him to repeated irrational and selfish behavior. His slowness to surrender harms his country, his people, and then himself. He cannot see anyone outside of the power battle between him and the God of Israel. All he sees is the fight, and he is not giving up.
THE PRACTICE OF SURRENDER
Surrender is rarely encouraged. Surrender signals weakness, and reveals powerlessness. Surrender goes against our natural inclination: we are not eager to consider it as an option.
As you continue to kneel in prayer, ask God to show you how you have been digging in your heels. Name this area of stubbornness and confess it to God in prayer, asking him how he wants you to surrender.
Yet surrender was and is the way of Jesus. He chose surrender. At just the right time, in just the right way, with just the wrong people, he surrendered. He surrendered to the evil powers, to injustice, and to death. He surrendered rather than saving himself.
32
This week we will focus on the practice of surrender. This pushes against everything in us that tells us to win, be strong, and never give up. To help with this posture, we are going to move our bodies. This week, spend a few minutes each morning or evening kneeling in prayer. As you kneel, stay in this posture before God, acknowledging that he is God, you are not, and give him praise for all he is. ENGAGE
DATE:
/
/
33
DAY 13 MONDAY
Hard Hearts Plague after plague, we see the destruction of land, animals, people. Plague after plague, Pharaoh ignores the voice of God, and ignores the consequences for others. Pharaoh is blind to anything but the battle for power and it does not matter who dies or what suffers. Pharaoh will not relent. This hardness of heart is crushing. It devastates the people who have to live through it and will destroy the person who carries it. This hardness of heart cares for nothing but its survival, yet the very thing it is doing is killing itself. If Pharaoh would relent and surrender, no one would die. Like Pharaoh, we are naĂŻve to believe our hardness will not affect others. We would love to believe that we can live in a vacuum and that our decisions only affect ourselves. The edges and harshness of a hard heart will hurt anyone in its path. Hard hearts harm others, especially those closest to us.
34
ENGAGE In prayer, examine the connections and dependence between you and others. Write down names and draw lines of connection. In prayer, ask God to show you how your life affects each of these relationships. Ask God to help you surrender anything that harms these relationships. If you are so bold, go to these people and ask them if there are any past decisions you have made that have hurt them. Receive their feedback in humility, and consider ways to change.
DATE:
/
/
35
DAY 14 TUESDAY
Crushing Ourselves Our sin and pride harm others and they harm us. We willingly allow sin to harm us. Why do we choose to suffer to sin even though as Christians, we are saved from it? Do we not believe we are worth receiving good, joy, and peace? Do we not believe God’s good is really that good? What is going on in us that we would be so stubborn to be unable to receive God’s love and grace? It makes no sense that we would deny good things from ourselves, yet we do it all the time. We choose to remain in sin, remain in past failures, remain in shame stories, and remain in a destructive cycle and slavery of our past. Sin has become so comfortable that we cannot fathom what freedom would be. Yet Jesus worked on our behalf so that this freedom, this life, and this love could permeate in and through us into the lives of others. This freedom from crushing ourselves is being captured by his love and grace, which then invites others into the same freedom. 36
ENGAGE Read and consider Hebrews 12:1–2 and the call to live the life God has called you to. What is the sin you are entangled in and attached to? As you kneel, ask God to untangle you and show you where you are knotted up. Surrender your sin to his masterful hands as he frees you from your sin, and sets you off running. Who are others that are surrounding you in encouragement? Who are you surrounding with encouragement?
DATE:
/
/
37
DAY 15 WEDNESDAY
Echoes Throughout the interactions in the Exodus story, we find echoes. Echoes of Pharaoh’s advisors, advising Pharaoh to relent, telling him of his stubbornness, and trying to persuade him to surrender. Advisors who see the inevitable coming, desperate for their master to change his ways. He will not budge. We also are quick to keep our sin, to hide its realities. We ignore the echoes of family, of those who love us, and of the Holy Spirit. We need ears to listen for the invitation to come out of hiding, so we may find healing. These echoes are a reminder of God’s grace, his persistence for our good, and the repeated opportunities we have to turn from sin. What is stopping you from listening? What prevents you from turning? What are the echoes in your life? Who is noticing your echoes and what might they be? Would you be so courageous to listen to others and their observations?
38
ENGAGE Read the entirety of the plagues today (Exodus 7:14–11:10, 12:29–32). How can the interactions of the advisors with Pharaoh help you invite others to speak into your habits and behaviors? This means letting go of controlling our image, who people perceive us to be, and keeping our true selves hidden. Again, the posture of kneeling is powerful here. Consider one or two people who are near to you and can be honest with you and what patterns they see in you.
DATE:
/
/
39
DAY 16 THURSDAY
Our Power “You are not that powerful.� These words from a friend caused a shock to my system. Most of us would say, of course, we are not that powerful! Yet our actions speak otherwise. When we are stubborn, believing our way is the only way. When we ceaselessly strive, pushing to prove no one has power over us. When we quietly and selflessly serve, yet hold tight to the way things have always been. For many of us power has been helpful, it has been persuasive, and it has protected us, so we continue to rely on it. Yet, it is not our power that has done any of these things. Any good thing has been a gift of grace, for we are not that powerful. The only power that will protect us, that makes a way, and that ensures our future, is the matchless power of Jesus. His power over this world, his power over the earth and skies, his power over life and death, heaven and hell. His power is what we need and he is that powerful.
40
ENGAGE Take some time for quiet, reflection, and prayer on your knees. Ask God to reveal the ways you believe you are powerful. Then ask him for ways you do not believe his power. What belief needs to change? What power is he asking you to let go of and then trust him?
DATE:
/
/
41
DAY 17 FRIDAY
Power Over All The ultimate surrender of any human being is a surrender of the will to God. To say God is God and I am not. And it is a surrender to a God who promises life, joy, hope, and salvation. Only good things will come from this surrender! Yet we find ourselves hesitant, resistant, and reluctant to surrender. Surrender is hard. Surrender brings life. The reminder of God’s own surrender in Jesus shows us the worthiness of our surrender. God himself, the most powerful one, surrendered his life for us. His surrender made way for his greatest power. A power we need. His greatest power brings life from death, giving us freedom from slavery, giving us hope rather than despair. When we surrender our power, God’s great power shows up, giving us abundant life. We can then testify that our life is worth surrendering to the one who first surrendered his, and has power over all.
42
ENGAGE As you spend time on your knees, ask God how your surrender can witness to his great surrender. How will your surrender show others the greatness of God? This is something that goes against our nature, yet it is the way God works. His power, not ours.
DATE:
/
/
43
DAY 18 SATURDAY
Relentless Pursuit The relentless pursuit of God is steadfast in this story. Over and over again he gives Pharaoh another chance, and over and over again he asks Moses to repeat his request. At some point, we think, “Let it go, God, he’s not changing!” Yet God relentlessly pursues a way out for his people. This is his relentless love, his relentless grace, and his relentless pursuit. God’s relentless pursuit shows his relentless love. Every stiff arm Pharaoh gives us makes way for us to grieve for Pharaoh and for his people. God’s pursuit drove Pharaoh further away, his heart hardening even more. Some of us have watched loved ones give this stiff arm to God. We grieve for Pharaoh, and we grieve for those we love. Those who believe they have all they need, who believe power is theirs, and who refuse to open their hearts to the heart of God.
44
PRAYER Relentless God, please do not give up on the ones we love. No matter what they do or say or how far they push you away, we beg you continue to pursue them with your love. We ask for a surrender and softening of their hearts, to be able to see you, your love, and your salvation offered through Jesus. God, may they see you are the only way for life, hope, love, and peace. As we pray, would you continue to grow our empathy for them, keep our grief fresh, and help us to not lose hope. May we be ever patient with them, loving them as you love us. We ask these all in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
45
WEEK
4
The God Who Provides
Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. EXODUS 12:21–28
DAY 19 SUNDAY
All Things New There is something enchanting about new. New car smells. New careers. New you. The prospect of brand new gives us hope that things will change. The Passover event in the life of ancient Israel was so significant that it served as the beginning of the end of 430 years in slavery. No more oppression. No more fear. All will be made new. Years later, another Exodus would take place under one who entered into the world in the fullness of time (Ephesians 1:10). Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, has invaded our space, well aware of our bondage to sin and our burden of shame, to deliver us out. The All Things New promise has come and will come in full at his return. Live with your hope fully set on that day.
48
THE PRACTICE OF SABBATH Rest is a spiritual act, practiced by God himself. It is the choice to take a break from work and productivity to enjoy life, enjoy the efforts of our labor, and to enjoy one another and God. ENGAGE God’s command to observe Sabbath rest enables his people to remember that they live by a new world order, under kind provision of God himself. This week be intentional to schedule a brief period of Sabbath rest for you and your family. Make a list of activities apart from work or mindless screen time that will bring enjoyment of God and others (a walk, a bike ride, an afternoon on the porch reading) What will you do and how will it enable you to rest and enjoy life?
DATE:
/
/
49
DAY 20 MONDAY
Refuge As the sun began to set and twilight set in, the Hebrew families gathered into their homes. They ate by strict instruction and took refuge under the blood of the lamb. God had made an ancient promise to his people. He promised to bring them out of slavery and lead them into a new land flowing with milk and honey. To lead them out, judgment had to touch down; and the first-born son of every household would taste death. Can you imagine? On another night, centuries later, Jesus prayed on behalf of his people, those who were and would become his followers. It was a night where Jesus fully submitted himself to the will of his Father. As a result, the hope and judgment were upheld on our behalf so that we can take refuge under the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29).
50
ENGAGE Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is taking time to pray in the big moments as well as the everyday pressures of life. We may not first think of uninterrupted prayer as a form of rest, but rest comes as we are reminded God is in control of our world and we don’t have to be. You know what that brings about? True. Abiding. Rest. Set aside a block of time on your Sabbath for uninterrupted prayer. What do you want to talk to God about and what might he say to you?
DATE:
/
/
51
DAY 21 TUESDAY
The Forever Feast A feast is celebration well executed. Think rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions. You want to make sure everything is in place for a night no one will forget. That’s what is taking place in Exodus 12:14–20. Great detail is being communicated to Israel on how to host this new feast that even kids and grandkids will celebrate in the new land. They have to get it right because on this night, the Lord is calling them to a final meal before departure, and he’s setting the table for an unforgettable night. It’s no coincidence that Jesus, on the night he would be betrayed, was celebrating this exact meal with his closest followers. It was a night they would never forget because that meal would be the last before his departure (i.e., his death and resurrection). But Jesus wanted us in on this epic feast as well. This is why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
52
ENGAGE Our family of churches celebrates the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month. Next time it is celebrated, take time on the evening before you take part to prepare. Consider reading through the story of the Passover and/or the Institution of the Last Supper (Mark 14:12– 25). Also, say a simple prayer as you prime your heart to receive the grace that is extended to you at the Lord’s Table. This will enhance your awareness of what is taking place and position you to celebrate the mercy of Christ toward us.
DATE:
/
/
53
DAY 22 WEDNESDAY
Saving Faith (Part 1) According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” How certain were the Israelites that they would be delivered from the final plague in Egypt? This seems like an odd means of deliverance. The Bible is filled with ritual and instruction that seems odd to us initially, especially in those books where laws about beards, fish, and bearded fish are articulated in miniscule detail. Yet God is not like us: he is holy. He is the Creator; we are creation. That is such a key distinction because we are part of the problem. We are bondage brokers, enslaved to our messed up desires and our sin-sick hearts. If we are to experience rescue, it has to come from outside of us. In Jesus Christ, God has provided the means whereby we can escape his righteous judgment. So we trust him, by faith.
54
ENGAGE The Protestant Reformer John Calvin observed that one of the ways that we are called to keep Sabbath rest is to meditate on God’s work in our own lives. As you rest today, consider this: What is God doing in my life and in the lives of my neighbors? Where am I resisting his instruction? Where is he establishing his throne in my life?
DATE:
/
/
55
DAY 23 THURSDAY
Saving Faith (Part 2) In response to the Lord’s Passover instruction, we read: “Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did” (Exodus 12:28). This is a display of “saving faith.” No doubt, some of the Hebrew families were full of assurance that the Lord would deliver them; and some were likely burdened with doubt. Both experienced deliverance. It can be easy to affirm the commands of God, and yet live as though we are our own god. We may agree with Jesus’ teaching on loving our neighbor (Matthew 5:43), but extending forgiveness to a colleague who has recently cheated us in a business deal, that’s just not possible, is it? But the one who possesses saving faith, looks to their Father and says, “You are worthy of my trust and obedience. So help me to find rest nowhere but in your will, which is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what you are up to.”
56
ENGAGE Choose rest this week through sleep. Even in frenetic moments, followers of Jesus recognize sleep as a good gift of God given to remind us that we are not him (Psalm 127:2). Take an intentional nap one afternoon or go to bed earlier than usual one night this week. After you wake up, take time to ask yourself and God these questions: Are there any commands of God I am ignoring this week? Why do I find them hard to obey? Ask God for the grace and strength to live differently this week.
DATE:
/
/
57
DAY 24 FRIDAY
Death Death. It is the most natural and yet unnatural reality that we all will face. It is the apex of life in a broken world. It is the opposite of life. It is our greatest fear. This is not the way it is supposed to be. The harrowing account of that final plague that came upon every first born son in Egypt is the stuff of nightmares. In Exodus 12:29 we read: “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.” While the judgment of death fell upon Egypt, this same death sentence produced deliverance for Israel (Exodus 12:31–32). At the heart of our faith, lies this glorious exchange: Although we deserve judgment, it fell on God’s own Son. And his death gave way to our deliverance from bondage.
58
ENGAGE One of the ways we observe Sabbath is to break from common practices. In our day, screens offer us a routine that we can take a break from. Consider taking an afternoon to turn off your phone, computer, and/or the television. Spend some time on one of these Scriptures and offer a prayer of gratitude to God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Galatians 2:20 1 Peter 3:18a
DATE:
/
/
59
DAY 25 SATURDAY
True Rest For those with restless, weary, anxiety prone hearts, God offers true rest through Jesus (Matthew 11:28) Upon reading this Scripture, it is almost too good to be true. But Jesus wants you to learn from him how to find true Sabbath rest that is not found in power naps or Netflix binging. Our focus on the discipline of Sabbath shows us that rest is not an option, but a key component to our physical, social, and spiritual life with God. While the call to rest is always on the table, we have this uncanny ability to drift toward burnout. Perhaps the first step toward the development of a life that is marked by hard work and true rest is learning first and foremost how to pray. Let’s begin with a prayer like the one listed in the next column. Customize this prayer or make a new one on your own.
60
PRAYER Father, you know what it means to rest. After creating and finishing a finite world you stood back from it, delighted in it, and enjoyed it. May we rely on your strength and power to work and may we learn to rest and delight as you do. Jesus, teach us to do good on the Sabbath and serve our neighbor in the embarrassingly simple ways we can. Help us find rest in the right places because ultimately we find our rest in you. Holy Spirit, prompt us to slow down at the end of the week and take time to assess how we are treating our neighbors. Convict us of our insensitivities and move us to be more sensitive to the needs of others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
61
WEEK
5
The God Who Is Present
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. EXODUS 13:17–22
DAY 26 SUNDAY
Not So Obvious What we would give for an obvious sign from God! For his people in Exodus, God was present in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. His presence protected them from a harsh sun, and warmed them in the cold night. His presence gave them direction when they could not see. He was ever before them, leading and guiding them along the way they should go. For us, God is not always so obvious. We do not have literal pillars of fire that light the way and clouds that protect us. Sometimes following God is not easy when he is not so obvious. Yet we do have and can hold onto the promises of his presence, his care, and his leading. These promises show up in many ways. They show up through Scriptural wisdom, peace from the Holy Spirit, his transforming work in us, and through the community of faith. His promise of presence is as true for us as it was for the Israelites. We can slow down and see it.
64
THE PRACTICE OF SLOWING DOWN This week’s practice of slowing down is a practice we will build upon each day. Slowing down is a practice that allows us to pay attention. When we slow down our bodies, our minds, and our movements, we pay attention to those around us, to God with us. Write down two or three ways you can slow down today. ENGAGE Choose to slow down one thing from your list. As you choose to slow it down, look around and pay attention to those around you. Is there a prayer you can pray for them? Pay attention and pray for someone today.
DATE:
/
/
65
DAY 27 MONDAY
Shortcuts Shortcuts are preferred paths. What purpose can there be in taking the long road? When God chooses to take us on a long journey, we get frustrated and confused, and wonder what he is up to. Surely God loves efficiency and shortcuts as much as we do? With the Israelites, God did not choose the near way and we are told why. The Israelites were not told why and the long way put them in more of a trapped position than before. In times when the road is long, and hard, we are tempted to wonder what God is up to. Why does it take so long to find a job? Why does he seem to take us the roundabout way to physical healing? Why did someone else seem to reach a goal faster than we did? We cannot know why God does not choose faster ways for us. We can choose to trust he is with us whatever road we are on. As he was with the Israelites, he is with us, as he promised us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
66
ENGAGE Take a look at your day and consider the literal shortcuts you take. Is it on the way to work, walking to your classroom, getting into the fastest grocery lane? Try to slow down and take the long ways today. As you slow down today, notice the people around you as you wait in line, slow down in a store, or wait for the elevator. Choose to linger for a bit and have a conversation, encouraging others today.
DATE:
/
/
67
DAY 28 TUESDAY
Quick Trip If the Israelites were to go the fast way, they would encounter fears of war and run back to slavery. God knew their fears and tendencies and knows ours as well. It takes a split second for us to return back to our slavery to sin. The longer way was a merciful and protective way. As God led the Israelites away from physical bondage, Jesus leads us out of spiritual bondage. Romans 8:14–16 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” The Israelites were led by God, and so are we. We can cry out and run to God at any time. Our only option is not a return to slavery, but moving toward God by the power of the Holy Spirit.
68
ENGAGE What are some repetitive fears that arise within you? Are they fears of safety? Fears of security? Fears of the future? Fears from the past? What are the beliefs about yourself, others, or God you get stuck back in on your quick trip back to bondage? Practice slowing down when you are afraid. Pay attention to the quick trip your mind makes back to your regular places of bondage. Do this by recalling and repeating Romans 8:14–16. Make it your prayer when you are afraid and tempted to make the quick trip back to bondage.
DATE:
/
/
69
DAY 29 WEDNESDAY
The Long Way Around Nothing is happening. You have worked so hard for that promotion, but no movement. You have invested time and energy into your son, your daughter, and there is still tension. Despite the work, the effort, the energy, nothing is happening. Surely, if you try harder something will happen? The way of wilderness often feels this way. Unknown, unsure, unrewarding, and exhausting. And why do we have to take the long way around? Yet God often leads the long way around, the way of wilderness, dependence, and trust. Throughout history, God has done this. Even Jesus walked through the wilderness. Every time God has led someone to the wilderness, he has led them through it. If he has led you into it, he will lead you out of it. Yet it is hard when you are in the middle of it. God’s invitation in the wilderness is an invitation to rest. To rest in his direction, his timing, his ways, and his leading.
70
ENGAGE Is there something you have been trying to make happen lately that won’t take? Are you spinning your wheels and going nowhere? In prayer, talk to God about this wilderness, what is going on in your mind, and how you are feeling. Be honest as you slow down your speaking with him and expand on the details.
DATE:
/
/
71
DAY 30 THURSDAY
Knowing Nearness God goes before the Israelites, he leads them through the wilderness, and he does not go away. He is steady, he is there, and he is active. God faithfully provides what the people need, a cloud by day, a fire by night, and the way forward. God goes before the Israelites and he goes before us, in the person of Jesus. Jesus came to earth, lived life as us, walked through a wilderness before us, and prepared a way for us to walk in his ways. Jesus leads us through his love, and through his nearness as he became man, and with the promise of his presence and the Holy Spirit. It is one thing to believe his nearness and another thing to feel it. How do we know he is leading and how do we know the way we should go?
72
ENGAGE When we are in a hurry, we miss details, we miss moments, and we miss feeling nearness. Our sense of connection with others, and God, increases when we slow down, we savor, and we sit with another, with God. Set a time on your calendar today to slow down, to pay attention, and to ask God to show you his nearness. Do this by imagining sitting down with Jesus over your morning coffee, or while you walk. He is near today, and you want to see it. Allow him to show you.
DATE:
/
/
73
DAY 31 FRIDAY
Pillars of Presence FOMO is the “fear of missing out.” It leads us to half-hearted commitments and drives our social media feeds and ambitions. It is the next adrenaline rush, the next selfie, and the next opportunity to show “you were there.” It is an opportunity to show we matter. God was a pillar of presence for the Israelites. He reminded them they mattered, that he cared, and was with them. In our world of FOMO, what if we were pillars of presence for others? What if our commitment to them was a reminder that God would never give up on them? What if our love and presence provided the security to try something new or build a different future? What if we were pillars of protection for those who have only ever been taken advantage of and thrown aside? How can our presence give them the confidence and courage to dare to live by faith? And how beautiful would this be? All because we were present.
74
ENGAGE Recent research shows our brains are being re-wired to move quickly and skim the surface. With this re-wiring we miss out on the most important things—people. Practice a fast from checking your phone for an extended period of time today (3–4 hours). As you practice your fast, ask God to show you people you have forgotten about. Is there someone you need to call, check in with, or pray for? Instead of being with your phone, take the time to be with another person this week. Opt for an uninterrupted meal, an engaging conversation, or playing with your family.
DATE:
/
/
75
DAY 32 SATURDAY
Present Now The promises of God are that he will never leave us. We are never alone. This can be both frightening and encouraging! As he is faithful with his presence, we also choose to acknowledge or ignore his presence. Sometimes we are afraid to be with him, nervous that he will shame our lack of perfection and performance. Sometimes we would rather ignore him, unsure of what he might ask us to do. When we choose to acknowledge and engage him, he shows himself good, trustworthy, and ready to forgive. The choice is a courageous one. The more we make the choice of courage to trust God, the more we see and experience his steadfast presence with us.
76
PRAYER Dear God, how grateful we are that we can speak with you. Thank you for your promise that you are with us. Even as we thank you, we doubt your presence and flinch a bit at what you will do with us. We are afraid you will take us on the long road and life will get harder. We are anxious that you will ask us to do something we do not want to do. In these times we doubt your goodness, your love, and your perfect presence. God, we need your help. Help us to believe any road is worth it as long as we are following you. Help us to hold onto the promises of your presence, your goodness, and your love. We need your help to love and to live, and we need to believe you are with us, willing our good and the good of those around us. We pray all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit that can do more than we can ask or imagine. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
77
WEEK
6
The God Who Provides a Way
Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.” Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. EXODUS 14:19–25, 31
DAY 33 SUNDAY
Providing a Way Hard work, perseverance, endurance, and strength is rewarded in our world. Solving problems, finding a way, making a breakthrough–all lead to greatness and glory. Yet the ways of God are not the ways of the world. The ways of God are not dependent on our hard work, our mastery, our intelligence, or power. The ways of God are dependent on him, for they cannot come from us: they can only come from him. We most often see and are reminded of these ways when we see no way out. Our resources, our networks, and our ideas will not pave the way. They will not separate the sea for us to walk on dry land. The mystery and miracle of this passage continues to be the incredible power of God. His power and our desperate need for his power, his protection, and his provision of a way forward.
80
THE PRACTICE OF SOLITUDE AND SILENCE The practice of solitude and silence allows us to slow down, take a deep breath, and cease from striving. When we are in unknown places we resort to some semblance of control or understanding. We move from frenzy to paralysis, from hyperactivity to withdrawal. Solitude and silence is none of those things. Choosing solitude and silence is to look and wait on God, rather than rely on ourselves. It is to choose to engage God, to listen, and to walk with him, at his pace, wherever he leads. ENGAGE Read Exodus 14:1–30 today. Sit with the mystery and miracle of our God. What is your response to God’s actions in this story? Spend time in solitude and silence today, reading about the miraculous provision of our God.
DATE:
/
/
81
DAY 34 MONDAY
From Guiding to Guarding The angel of God moved from guiding the Israelites to guarding them. The angel of God was in the form of the pillar that had been a cloud by day and a fire by night. It now acted as a shield between the Israelites and the Egyptians. All in one, this angel guided, then guarded, and defended the people of God. The Israelites received God’s faithfulness through both his guidance and protection. As we find ourselves in uncertain (wilderness) times, we long for a guide, for a guard, and a reminder that God is with us. How we wish we had an angel we could see! An angel to show us where to go, how long we will have to walk, and the presence of a defender. What we do have is a Spirit, the Holy Spirit. One who promises to be with us, to guide us, and to care for us. A Spirit that does not always tell us how long or where we are going, but who will never leave us. A promise of God himself to us.
82
ENGAGE Look at your calendar this week and make 10 minutes of time for solitude and silence. Try making it at the beginning of your day or the end of your day and be as consistent as possible from day to day. For today, take any 10 minutes, and get comfortable with the solitude and silence. This may be a new experience for you. Take notice of what goes on in your mind and body. Enjoy this time and thank him for giving you time and space to meet with him.
DATE:
/
/
83
DAY 35 TUESDAY
But, How? “How” is not always clear. Someone makes a promise, and we cannot imagine how he or she will fulfill it. We cannot figure out the solution to a business problem and are tempted to compromise our values. We cannot see a way out from a conflict, so we withdraw without hope. When we cannot think of the “how,” it is hard to hope, to wait, and to believe an outcome other than one we can imagine. God made a promise to the Israelites. They could not imagine “how,” as they faced the Egyptian army on one side and the sea on the other. “How” would God fulfill his promise? He made a way with a “how” they could not fathom. He split land and water, as he did at the beginning of creation. He showed them that his possibilities are beyond their impossibilities. Will we believe his possibilities are beyond our impossibilities?
84
ENGAGE Take your time in silence and solitude today to ask God where you are struggling to believe him. What “how” are you waiting for before you trust him? Ask him for small steps of faith as you trust him with your “how.”
DATE:
/
/
85
DAY 36 WEDNESDAY
Parting the Sea When we ask God to make possible the impossible, we hope, believing not only that he can, but that he will. But then sometimes he doesn’t. He does not cure our child from cancer. He does not reduce poverty in the world. He does not stop an evil leader from annihilating a people. No doubt that people have prayed for these things and so much more, and God did not move. Why does he not part the sea every time? He did part the one sea that will last for eternity. He parted this sea through his own sacrifice— his Son, Jesus. He knows, he sees, and he lived it so that he could part the sea that once and for all would save us. Through his death and resurrection Jesus parts the sea for us to walk on dry land to the promised land—life with God. Sin and slavery are washed away, and we are with God because of Jesus. God may not provide every way out, but he provides THE way out for all us.
86
ENGAGE In your time of solitude and silence, talk to God about a time when he didn’t show up, when he disappointed. Talk to him in honesty, share with him thoughts and emotions, even if they are or feel wrong. They are yours, and he wants to hear them. After some time, ask God to show you how Jesus has been with you. How has Jesus been with you to take you on to dry land? Have you followed him or ignored him? What would it look like for you to walk with Jesus through the pain and toward God?
DATE:
/
/
87
DAY 37 THURSDAY
The Pursuit of Sin The entire Egyptian army was coming after the Israelites. The Israelites were traveling on foot, with their families. They were walking and an ARMY was coming after them. Sin and slavery will not back down quietly. Sin would love nothing more than to keep you down. And the moment you find freedom, is the moment it gets stronger and larger, nipping at your heels. Sin hates that it has lost its power and it pursues us. No wonder when we choose to follow Jesus in faith, life can get harder! An army of sin is coming after us! And we have the power of God IN and WITH us! As God showed his power to make a way for the Israelites, God shows his power in making a way through Jesus. A way that leads us to life and destroys sin and death. And the Holy Spirit lives in us and through us, reminding us of the great power of God that has defeated sin.
88
ENGAGE In your time of solitude and silence today meditate on 1 John 4:4. There is a daily battle around us. In the midst of this battle, ask God for his strength, ask him for his ways, and lean a little bit more into trusting him.
DATE:
/
/
89
DAY 38 FRIDAY
Looking Back When we are surrounded, with no way forward, we are tempted to look back. Tempted to return to the way things were, the ways that we knew, and the ways that look a lot better than the present. Surely things were not that bad! In the midst of the unknown, we long for the known, even if it is not good. The Israelites saw the sea and they saw the Egyptian army. With those two options, they cried to go back to Egypt, to slavery, to the way things were. At least they were familiar with it. Longing for the known, they doubted God’s promise to save them, to give them a future and hope. In the unknown, we do the same. We return to the known. We would rather be enslaved with the familiar than trust God with our future.
90
ENGAGE In solitude and silence, re-read Exodus 14:10–14. What are you tempted to return to? What future is God inviting you to step into?
DATE:
/
/
91
DAY 39 SATURDAY
Into the New God saved the Israelites from slavery and he saved them into something, something new. Crossing the Red Sea was not the end of the story; it was the beginning. With this new beginning, they were ushered into deeper relationship with God, and a work to be done in the world. In our salvation, we are saved from the bondage and death of sin and into life, a life more deeply lived with God, with others, and for the world.
92
PRAYER Our Gracious God, you make a way when we see no way. You make a way, and provide that way through your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for your personal sacrifice, for your nearness to us, and for touching earth for us. What a gift it is to be invited into new relationship with you, into deeper love, deeper trust, and deeper life. Thank you! As we continue to live into the new, help us when we are tempted by the past, and remind us that it is worth trusting you. Give us the strength to say no to sin and walk forward in faithfulness. We need you to help us do this, for we cannot on our own. We thank you that we walk into the new with others, and we get to live, love, and serve with your entire church—the body of Christ. Thank you for providing a way, thank you that we get to walk into the new. In Jesus’ mighty name, we pray. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
93
WEEK
7
The God of Purpose
Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of 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 place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” EXODUS 3:7–12
DAY 40 PALM SUNDAY
Eyes Open When injustices, affliction, and evil run free, who sees? Does God see? Does he see the suffering of children, the exploitation of widows, and the incarceration of the innocent? Is he watching wars unfold, the wounded left to die, and the weak ignored? We doubt he sees because we do not always see him at work. Will he see, and will he work? In the life of the Israelites, God saw and God worked. He looked and listened, and with purpose he sent someone. With eyes wide open God had a plan and he promised to execute this plan. God is not blind to the injustices of this world. In fact, he has a purpose to end them. To end them all. To this day God continues his purpose of justice, hearing the cries of the afflicted, and calling his people to the work of justice. Will we see, will we hear, and will we respond to his call to live out his purposes of justice in our world?
96
THE PRACTICE OF JUSTICE Justice is a spiritual practice that involves seeing others, and seeking their good, protection, and their dignity as image bearers of God. It is a practice done across cultures, demographics, genders, and economic status. It can be quiet or loud, individual or corporate, near or far. Whatever its form, it is a work of sacrifice and a work we are called to as Christians. We live out this practice of justice as we honor and care for those made in God’s image—and that includes everyone. ENGAGE Begin this week by reading Exodus 1:8–16. Read about the injustice, evil, and exploitation of the Israelites. Compare this to the lives of those in our city and the world. Ask God to give you the courage to engage with the reality of injustice in our present day. As you engage, ask God in prayer to show you your part in challenging injustices in our world.
DATE:
/
/
97
DAY 41 MONDAY
Quiet Justice In the Exodus story there were two particular women who feared God (Exodus 1:15–22). Because they feared God, these courageous midwives went against Pharoah’s order of death and protected the life of the innocent. Through their quiet actions, these women moved with might against injustice, leading to many saved lives. Justice work does not have to be loud, but it must be true, and it must be good. To be true and good, it must be grounded in the heart of God. With grounded hearts, we live according to the justice and goodness of God, honoring him before anyone else. When you think of justice fighters, who comes to mind? Is it someone with power, even a fictional character or superhero? The images we have of justice fighters are greatly limited. Yes, these are wonderful heroes, yet they are not the only ones. There are many quiet and unsung heroes in our world. Will you be one of them?
98
ENGAGE What injustices do you see in the lives of those around you? At school or work? In the city or the world? How can you be a force for justice for their sake?
DATE:
/
/
99
DAY 42 TUESDAY
Imbalanced Injustice We will not live in this world without facing injustices. Some injustices go deeper, longer, and farther. We would be lying to ourselves if we thought all injustices were the same. Moses’ mother was the wrong race, in the country of Egypt. She suffered the same injustices other Israelite women did—losing their baby boys. When she did get a second chance, she still had to let him go (Exodus 2:1–10). God himself experienced injustice on the earth. Jesus was not the god they expected, nor the king the Jewish leaders were looking for. He would not power up and Lord himself over others. He was the God of the broken, the humble, and the dependent. Therefore, he suffered the injustice of false accusation, hostile treatment, and physical execution. There is nothing balanced about the injustices he took on. And his willingness to suffer injustice would tip the scale for our salvation.
100
ENGAGE Imagine a time you experienced injustice. What was that like for you? Now, imagine someone else’s unjust situation. Can you imagine their thoughts and feelings as acutely as you did yours? What needs to change in you, that you would be able to see other’s injustices as grievous as your own (or more so)? Will you allow God to transform your heart to see, face, and fight for the justice of others?
DATE:
/
/
101
DAY 43 WEDNESDAY
Driven by Justice Driven by a conviction of right and wrong, we jump to justice. We know family members who cheat at games and we take it upon ourselves to beat them no matter what. We witness people falsely accused and we move to defend them. We see injustice, and we bring justice. It drives us and nothing will stand in our way. Moses lived with a deep sense of justice. It was displayed unrighteously and righteously. It was this deep sense of justice that led him to stand up for others (Exodus 2:17). Justice aligned with God is a justice to follow. Our drive for justice must align with God’s justice to bring peace, goodness, and right to our world. God’s justice is always good and right. His justice is one that protects and provides. His call to justice is one that is for every Christian. It is the call to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). To do justice, we must know the God of justice.
102
ENGAGE Justice is more deeply ingrained in some people, yet it is a practice for every Christian to cultivate. Wrongs made right, defending the weak, standing up for the powerless— these are practices for us to engage in. Where is your mind and heart aligned with God’s heart of justice? Where can it grow into alignment? Spend time asking God the places and practices of justice he wants you to engage in.
DATE:
/
/
103
DAY 44 MAUNDY THURSDAY
Welcoming Justice Making things right does not mean that things get easier. Things actually might get messier. To welcome justice into our lives is messy. The righting of wrong, the transformation of our minds and hearts is messy, and it is worth it. Do we welcome justice and its messiness into our lives, workplaces, social situations, and societies? Justice changes things, makes our lives uncomfortable, and demands the re-ordering of our systems and ways. This display of justice showed up one evening, before Jesus was betrayed. He had dinner with his friends and told them of his love, his sacrifice, and the redemption that would come. He would bring justice and be justice for our sake. When we welcome Jesus into our lives, we also welcome his work in our lives. To right our minds, to work good in our hearts, and display his justice through our words and works. Will you welcome justice?
104
ENGAGE Are you welcoming to God’s work in you or resistant to his transformation? Are there areas in your mind, your life, your work, that you would rather he not touch? What are the discomforts you are not willing to endure? Spend time in confession today, telling Jesus where he is not welcome and ask him to give you a posture of welcome.
DATE:
/
/
105
DAY 45 GOOD FRIDAY
The Day of Injustice On this Good Friday, we look back on a great injustice. An innocent man suffered humiliation, beatings, mockery, torture, ridicule, and was then left to die. His friends fled the scene, the hopeful looked up with despair, and the world watched in wonder: “Who was this man?” Yet through the world’s injustice, Jesus died for justice. He died for all to be made right. He died for sin to no longer separate people from God, and his death was the justice needed for the wrath of God. God worked injustice into justice. That is what our God does every day, all the time. He takes what we intend for evil and turns it into good. This does not excuse evil, nor does it stop us from fighting evil, but it shows us good triumphs over evil. And one day good will triumph over all evil and Jesus will make all things right and new. Until that day, we fight evil and injustice and we ask God to bring good from evil.
106
ENGAGE What injustices make your blood boil or do you stay up at night dreaming of solving? What injustices are you certain should no longer be? How are you involved in bringing justice to these places? What can and will you do to be a part of fighting injustice and bringing God’s goodness into the world and into the lives of men, women, boys, and girls?
DATE:
/
/
107
DAY 46 HOLY SATURDAY
The God of Purpose God’s purposes are often quiet. When it seems like he is doing nothing, he is up to something. When we cannot see him move, we wonder whether he will move, or whether we need to do it for him. These times can be discouraging. There are times we are called to move—and we need discernment for that. There are times we are called to wait—and we need discernment again. Whether we are moving or staying still, we need assurance he is working out his purposes, even as he was that quiet Saturday before Resurrection came.
108
PRAYER Dear God, we often do not understand your ways because we cannot see them. We cannot see you working, we do not understand why you are not moving, and we are tempted to take over for you. You have called us to practice justice and we pray for the power and patience to do so. You have called us to practice trust and we pray for the ability to wait with faith and hope. May we be people who move with might and wait with patience, as we work with you for justice, righteousness, and good in our world. In Jesus’ powerful name, we pray. Amen.
DATE:
/
/
109
Happy Easter
He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. MATTHEW 28:6
DATE:
112
/
/
113