leaving slavery

Good morning sisters and brothers,
On Sunday I mentioned that I was going to start reading the Bible over the next year, and I invited people to join me. It takes about 15 minutes a day and is very rewarding. I figured if we have a group reading together we could get together once or twice a month to talk about what we're reading. We could also set up some kind of online venue to share thoughts between meetings. This isn't meant to be arduous, but supportive. It also won't replace the daily readings for me; I'll still send these out. But if you're interested in reading the Bible with a small group, we'll begin on Sunday. Send me an email so I can put together a group list and send you a reading plan to organize the reading. You won't regret the time you spend with it.

Today's reading relates the actual departure of Israel from Egypt after 430 years there. It tells us that God kept vigil over Israel to bring them out and that Israel still keeps vigil on that night annually to remember God's deliverance. There are moments that define who we are as people and who we are nationally. This moment is one of the most important events that shape Jewish identity to this day.

God bless,
Sam

Exodus 12:37-42

37The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38A mixed crowd also went up with them, and livestock in great numbers, both flocks and herds. 39They baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt; it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. 40The time that the Israelites had lived in Egypt was four hundred thirty years. 41At the end of four hundred thirty years, on that very day, all the companies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42That was for the Lord a night of vigil, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. That same night is a vigil to be kept for the Lord by all the Israelites throughout their generations.