My friends,
I have been reading lately some posts that have a lot of “feeling down” stuck or hopeless themes in them. I would like to offer these words of encouragement; it is a long read so bear with me. Humanity has been subject to all kinds of situations since we came to live in community together. We know that throughout history our power to help or to harm each other has been great. There is ...
I have been reading lately some posts that have a lot of “feeling down” stuck or hopeless themes in them. I would like to offer these words of encouragement; it is a long read so bear with me. Humanity has been subject to all kinds of situations since we came to live in community together. We know that throughout history our power to help or to harm each other has been great. There is ...
hope though for us, the answer is not easy, but it is in many ways very simple. It is the implementation that is the tough part.
I want you to back with me in time to Egypt in the days of the Pharaohs and great pyramids. Many of you know that the Hebrews, God’s people, had been enslaved and were forced to be laborers for the Pharaoh of Moses’ day. They were treated like machines and beaten with whips like cattle if they failed to do the work they were assigned. The Hebrews suffered terribly in many ways. God had chosen Moses and His brother Aaron to lead the people together, so they could be free. Moses was not a gifted speaker, studies suggest that he stuttered. Aaron, his brother however was a great speaker, but had trouble leading, and maintaining his faith at times. Together they went to Pharaoh to convey God’s desire for the freedom of his people. Ten times, maybe more or less, depending on how the story was told over generations, Pharaoh told Moses the people could leave, and then changed His mind. Can you imagine how the Hebrews must have felt? The elation at the thought of being free from slavery, and yet the pure let down and anger for Pharaoh’s broken promise when they were hauled back? How many of them were beginning to disbelieve when they were whipped and beaten even harder and the work load increased as Pharaoh poured out his anger on the people. Many of us can. It is easy to fall into despair when life patterns seem to lead to desperate situations…. Our jobs situation in the USA is bad (not enough, or too many hours, little pay ect.), our elected officials have made life in the USA very hard for poor and middle class. People who were once self-sufficient are not making ends meet. Many rich people feel powerless, as they are slaves to maintaining a lifestyle and reputation. We often feel beat down, with no end in sight.
Can you imagine how the people must have formed groups to try to preserve themselves? We know about these. When the going gets tough, the tough form a plan to not get caught in the aftermath. For the slaves it would have been ways to befriend labor bosses and Pharaoh’s overseers. For us it is often making cut throat alliances that often fall through when companies downsize. As kids people do the same thing to one another at times… you know about this. Remember the time you took the fall for someone else getting jelly on the couch? Despite all of our human quirks and tendencies to hurt each other, God has remained faithful and watchful over his people.
Going back to Egypt again, we know that the people were freed in a miraculous crossing of the river Jordan after the tenth plague was issued to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The waters parted and Pharaoh’s army was destroyed when they sought to attack. God stayed with the Hebrew people in a powerful way for 40 years in the wilderness. He gave them food, and everything they needed to survive. God is still giving us what we need, but we cannot see it. Some of you may be asking why if God was so great and compassionate, why did the slaves spend 40 years in the dessert? The answer lays in learning.
The Hebrew people were programmed laborers who were used to taking orders. They had to spend that time in the wilderness to learn to be a community that could depend on one another, and on God. It was a time of learning that life must not be about self-preservation, but about the intricate life in community, with God at the front. They had to learn to trust that God would be there always, and how to treat each other in His midst. Moses struggled to teach the people that God was with them always. They would grow restless if not immediately gratified. (Sound familiar?) They complained about the food they were given, the provisions they had, and had forgotten they were free. Their freedom was the ultimate gift. How many of us have something we begged for, but no longer want it or care for it after we get it? Think about puppies and children, who really does the cleanup and housebreaking at week 2? Instant information and communication has made us forget that God doesn’t always instantly gratify, and that we need to consider the weight of what we are asking for.( Part of His mystery is that He often blesses us when we least expect it as well.) The people had to learn to give thanks, and be in conversation with Him in good times and bad to finally get to the promise land, and have it mean something.
So my dear friends if I can offer you anything, it is the hope that God has been with his people long before us. He is here now, and is to be after us. There is nothing that God cannot care for in your individual life, or your community, so long as you work together, and call on God often in all things. Remember that people in your community care for you as well as God, and they are ready to be a blessing to you, because God has blessed them. May your prayers be often, and your praises be the same….
I want you to back with me in time to Egypt in the days of the Pharaohs and great pyramids. Many of you know that the Hebrews, God’s people, had been enslaved and were forced to be laborers for the Pharaoh of Moses’ day. They were treated like machines and beaten with whips like cattle if they failed to do the work they were assigned. The Hebrews suffered terribly in many ways. God had chosen Moses and His brother Aaron to lead the people together, so they could be free. Moses was not a gifted speaker, studies suggest that he stuttered. Aaron, his brother however was a great speaker, but had trouble leading, and maintaining his faith at times. Together they went to Pharaoh to convey God’s desire for the freedom of his people. Ten times, maybe more or less, depending on how the story was told over generations, Pharaoh told Moses the people could leave, and then changed His mind. Can you imagine how the Hebrews must have felt? The elation at the thought of being free from slavery, and yet the pure let down and anger for Pharaoh’s broken promise when they were hauled back? How many of them were beginning to disbelieve when they were whipped and beaten even harder and the work load increased as Pharaoh poured out his anger on the people. Many of us can. It is easy to fall into despair when life patterns seem to lead to desperate situations…. Our jobs situation in the USA is bad (not enough, or too many hours, little pay ect.), our elected officials have made life in the USA very hard for poor and middle class. People who were once self-sufficient are not making ends meet. Many rich people feel powerless, as they are slaves to maintaining a lifestyle and reputation. We often feel beat down, with no end in sight.
Can you imagine how the people must have formed groups to try to preserve themselves? We know about these. When the going gets tough, the tough form a plan to not get caught in the aftermath. For the slaves it would have been ways to befriend labor bosses and Pharaoh’s overseers. For us it is often making cut throat alliances that often fall through when companies downsize. As kids people do the same thing to one another at times… you know about this. Remember the time you took the fall for someone else getting jelly on the couch? Despite all of our human quirks and tendencies to hurt each other, God has remained faithful and watchful over his people.
Going back to Egypt again, we know that the people were freed in a miraculous crossing of the river Jordan after the tenth plague was issued to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The waters parted and Pharaoh’s army was destroyed when they sought to attack. God stayed with the Hebrew people in a powerful way for 40 years in the wilderness. He gave them food, and everything they needed to survive. God is still giving us what we need, but we cannot see it. Some of you may be asking why if God was so great and compassionate, why did the slaves spend 40 years in the dessert? The answer lays in learning.
The Hebrew people were programmed laborers who were used to taking orders. They had to spend that time in the wilderness to learn to be a community that could depend on one another, and on God. It was a time of learning that life must not be about self-preservation, but about the intricate life in community, with God at the front. They had to learn to trust that God would be there always, and how to treat each other in His midst. Moses struggled to teach the people that God was with them always. They would grow restless if not immediately gratified. (Sound familiar?) They complained about the food they were given, the provisions they had, and had forgotten they were free. Their freedom was the ultimate gift. How many of us have something we begged for, but no longer want it or care for it after we get it? Think about puppies and children, who really does the cleanup and housebreaking at week 2? Instant information and communication has made us forget that God doesn’t always instantly gratify, and that we need to consider the weight of what we are asking for.( Part of His mystery is that He often blesses us when we least expect it as well.) The people had to learn to give thanks, and be in conversation with Him in good times and bad to finally get to the promise land, and have it mean something.
So my dear friends if I can offer you anything, it is the hope that God has been with his people long before us. He is here now, and is to be after us. There is nothing that God cannot care for in your individual life, or your community, so long as you work together, and call on God often in all things. Remember that people in your community care for you as well as God, and they are ready to be a blessing to you, because God has blessed them. May your prayers be often, and your praises be the same….
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