April 26th - Reflection

Exodus 15:1-18 (NRSV)
Song at the sea
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
"I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength
and my might, and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.

"Pharaoh's chariots and his army he cast into the sea;
his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power --
your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries;
you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'
You blew with your wind, the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

"Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in splendor, doing wonders?
You stretched out your right hand,
the earth swallowed them.

"In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed;
you guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
The peoples heard, they trembled;
pangs seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
trembling seized the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.
Terror and dread fell upon them;
by the might of your arm, they became still as a stone
until your people, O Lord, passed by,
until the people whom you acquired passed by.
You brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession,
the place, O Lord, that you made your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
The Lord will reign forever and ever."

Reflection
God not only rescues his people, he lives with them and loves them. We certainly will praise God for the deliverance from death. In this passage God has saved the Israelites from the Egyptians. It is a very example of how God is with his people even in the depths of the sea in a cloud to confuse the way of the Egyptians and a pillar of light to lead the Israelites.

Likewise in our day God is with us through the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us. We have the Holy Bible to turn to for guidance and instruction on how to live our lives. We have the sacraments as witness of God's presence in the lives of the people today. We have the inspired spoken word through our pastors and leaders. And we have his inspiration that speaks through so many other's in so many ways. God is all around today.

And with the proof and knowledge of the resurrection, we can only respond to this awesome love of God in spontaneous praise and adoration. We serve in joy and love, not out of a sense that we could ever pay back, but out of a passion to support and honor and serve what is completely beyond any act we could return in favor.

And that's the beauty of the love of God. That's the beauty of the close relationship God has formed with you and me. And in this relationship lies the joy of life! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, you are Holy Lord...you alone! We praise and honor you alone!--- Amen