firstborn sons

Good morning sisters and brothers,
On Sunday we'll welcome our new music director, Soo Yeon Kim to Laurelton. Soo Yeon brings wonderful musical and educational gifts, and I'm excited for how she will strengthen our music ministry. Please help make her feel at home.

God and Moses both recognize that education is critical in forming faith generation after generation. That's a big part of the reason for the religious observances God commands. There's special attention to telling the story to the next generation, the folks who didn't see God's amazing action in Egypt and might not have as clear a sense for God's power. This passage encourages us to think about how we tell the story of God to our kids. When your kids or friends ask why you go to church or why you celebrate a holiday or event, what do you tell them? How do you connect God's love to your daily world and help others do the same?

God bless,
Sam

Exodus 13:11-16

11“When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, 12you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. 13But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem.



14When in the future your child asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall answer, ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”