“This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. ” Exodus 12:11
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version.
There is one part of the passover story that really captures my imagination. The passover was not a great feast. It was to be shared standing up. Thanksgiving when America celebrates freedom is done sitting down. Fourth of July maybe outside, but we pull up lawn chairs. Freedom in our culture is sitting down, we revel in it.
Freedom in the Old Testament for the Israelites is something that is not to be relished. The price of freedom, the death of the first-born in Egypt is not to be celebrated. Death of innocents and not so innocents is not a joyful feast. It is a bitter feast, not to be savored but to be eaten hurriedly.
Perhaps, our communion feast in church is too slow. Maybe every once in a while we need to eat standing up. Deacons and servers rushing people through the line. The price of freedom is not to be savored, but we must eat hurriedly. The grape juice is warm, the bread is hard…that is OK. We are eating on the run. We are one’s who lives are being spared and now is the time to go. Just a reminder of the sacrifice of the incarnation and the cross. I don’t eat standing up often, I am not a slave. I eat leisurely most days. However, maybe on the side of the road at a hot dog stand maybe to eat standing up, car keys on my finger, will remind me of who paid the price for my freedom.
Tags: everyday faith, Exodus, freedom, reading the bible
Following the footsteps 
August 13, 2010 at 2:56 pm |
Yes this is correct. a lot of us take it for granted. However, if you go deeper into the subject, we all know that the gentile’s messiah Yeshua also known as Jesus has been keeping g-ds holidays such as passover as well. For example; The last supper, they shared unleavened bread also known as matzah. Anyhow, my belief and take is even Jesus kept the holiday of g-d not to take freedom for granted and since the gentile are followers of Jesus should they also follow the holidays he followed as well as the current laws he established for them through his apostles. Here is another scenario after the last supper, Jesus had past Friday evening on the 6th day the beginning of sabbath into day 7 , day of rest. Then he rose from the ground and started to work that Sunday, DAY 1, Easter Sunday.