This week we read the story of the Israelites being oppressed and enslaved in Egypt from Exodus 1, and Moses being called to help liberate them from Exodus 3. Read again the description of the suffering people, and the words God spoke to recognize their situation and begin working for liberation and change:"They set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh...The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them." (Exodus 1:11, 13-14)
"The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them." (Exodus 2:23-25)
"Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them...The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:7-10)
I want to keep the blog simple this week, and leave you with the same questions Brian McLaren leaves us with at the end of this week's chapter from We Make the Road by Walking (Chapter 9, "Freedom!"). They are on the picture above, or printed below for your reflection. I would love it, if a response pops to mind, if you would post it in the comments section...I think these are important questions for us to try to answer!
Name the Hebrew slaves of today’s world.
- Who today is being exploited and crying out for help?
- Who does backbreaking work for which others reap the rewards?
- How can we join in solidarity with them, seeking liberation?
No comments:
Post a Comment