Word of the Week - Structure

Painting by Norman Rockwell

If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen. If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep ans it is found in the thief's possession, then the thief must pay double the amount of the stolen animal. Exodus 22

One of the first things that happens when kids or adults gather together is the adoption of rules. If not, a perceived slight on the part of one of the participants leads that person to establish rules. Kids make rules for sharing toys, playing games, and talking. Adults make rules about....sharing toys, playing games, and talking.

The book of Exodus recounts the story of the Israelites escape from Egypt and long journey through the desert. The exhilaration of escape from slavery was soon replaced by the anxiety due to a lack of structure. They were stealing, killing, and breaking their promises in relationships.

We don't like rules, because they inhibit our ability to get what we want when we want it. On Sunday, we will discuss how rules save us from a life of pain and isolation.

Word of the week - Deliverance

Then Moses and the the people of Israel sang this song to God, giving voice together, "I'm sing my heart our to God - what a victory! God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. This is the kind of God I have and I'm telling the world! This is the God of my father - I'm spreading the news far and wide. - Exodus 15 (The Message)

The picture above is from the vantage point of the defendant in the court case. The guilt of the offense, the uncertainty of the verdict, the isolation in the courtroom, and the concern of the punishment are a tremendous burden on any defendant. If guilty, the defendant cannot change the past. He or she can only express their regret to the judge and jury.

Moses could have felt the feelings described above because he had murdered an Egyptian citizen. However, instead of facing some sort of judgement, he fled to the desert. Completely isolated, he had time to consider the tremendous pain that his family and his people had felt for so many years. As a newborn, he was placed in a basket and sent down a river by his mother. She had no choice because the Egyptians threatened to kill every male born to her people. Fortunately, he was found and raised by Egyptian royalty. Unfortunately he was cut off from his own people. As an adult Moses witnessed an Egyptian beating a slave, he snapped, and he killed the Egyptian.

Following the incident, everything in Moses' life was devastatingly bad. He was cut off from the royal family that raised him, his people were still enslaved, and he had a life sentence of exile in the desert. Moses thought he was finished, but God intervened.

Moses was called by God in the form of a burning bush. God suggested that Moses was exactly who God wanted to save his people. God inspired Moses through the negotiation with Pharaoh, helped Moses lead God's people out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea so the people could flee the pursuing Egyptian army, and slammed the waters back on that army to eliminate any threat to Moses and his people.

Overwhelmed with joy, Moses sang to his God and the people joined with him. He was free, his people were free, and he felt a tremendous sense of relief. Moses did not have the strength - "God is my strength", he did not have the voice - "God is my song", and he did not have a perfect record - "God is my salvation". Moses knew that God had delivered him, and he wanted everyone else to know it as well.

Word of the week - PROMISE

God told Abram, "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you" Genesis 12

Human beings depend on one another whether they like it or not. Customers believe in the promise that UPS will deliver their package on time, and airline passengers believe in the promise that their pilot will keep them safe. Our lives are interwoven together, and a broken promise affects the entire group.

Unfortunately as long as humans have been on this earth, they have broken their promises. We continue to hurt one another and it is documented in almost every way. The 24 hour news cycle and the entire entertainment industry have always thrived on broken promises. We are bludgeoned with news of scandals on a constant basis, and television imitates reality in nearly every case. One might suggest that our society is falling apart, and that old ways are gone. I would counter that sentiment with the story of Adam and Eve. The first people EVER struggled to keep their promises. Adam and Eve's example has been emulated repeatedly to this very day.

Human beings have come and gone, but God has always been present. Since the time of Adam and Eve, God has called human beings to a higher standard. Some have listened to the call God made and some have not. This week, we will read about a person that listened to God and kept his promise and on Sunday we will learn how to turn the tide on this issue and begin to set an example of integrity for our families, co-workers, and friends.