"The day of observance will be like a sign on your hand, a memorial between your eyes, and the teaching of God in your mouth. It was with a powerful hand that God brought you out of Egypt. Follow these instructions at the set time, year after year after year." Exodus 13:9-10 (TM)
I’m a forgetful person. You can ask my wife. Rare is the day that I leave the house for a client meeting and don’t return a minute or two later to fetch something I forgot. I don’t do well without lists and reminders.
God knows that we, as humans, are forgetful. That’s why he instituted metaphorical reminders. The Passover meal was an annual reminder of what God did in delivering Israel from Pharaoh. The Lord’s Supper is a regular reminder of what Jesus did in delivering us from sin.
I’ve learned that this is an effective practice as a child and as a parent. Instituting small, regular metaphorical reminders that give ourselves a word picture of a spiritual truth is an effective practice. One family I know would have a family devotion every Saturday night in preparation for Sunday worship. They had a large lighting fixture above their dining room table like a candelabra. Each Saturday the children could explode "party poppers" that would then get caught in the fixture, the streamers hanging down like a huge flower. All week long the children would see that light and remember that Sunday was a day of celebration – a day to which they should look forward.
We need reminders lest we forget what God has done.
Wendy and I arrived home from our week off just in time for Tulip Time. While the cool, wet weather wasn’t the greatest – it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits or the appetite! On Saturday our driveway was full of the cars of out-of-town guests who appreciate that we live just one block from the square! 🙂
Having acted in the last three Tulip Time productions, it was actually nice for Wendy and me to sit back and not have any responsibilities. We ate lots of Dutch treats, enjoyed Central College’s production of Return to the Forbidden Planet at the Opera House, and enjoyed Madison singing with the Chamber Choir at the community service on Sunday.
Now, it’s back to the pile of stuff on my desk and the inbox full of e-mails on my computer!
The blood will serve as a sign on the houses where you live. When I see the blood I will pass over you—no disaster will touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:13 (TM)
While on vacation, Wendy and I listened to audio books in the car. One of the books I had read before, so I knew the story. It struck me, as I listened, how one of the characters in the book foreshadowed an impending climactic moment with every word he uttered. I’d never caught it before, but his every word hinted at what was to come.
God is a master artist and a storyteller. He expresses Himself metaphorically. The story of the Passover is both a foreshadow and a metaphor of what is to come. It is no accident that the events of Easter happen at the time of the Passover celebration, nor is it mere chance that Jesus was celebrating the Passover with the disciples when He instituted what became the Lord’s Supper. The two events are connected.
The Passover foreshadows Jesus’ sacrifice to free us from our slavery to sin. The blood of the sacrificed lamb covering the people so that the Angel of Death might pass over is a picture of Jesus, the lamb of God, who was sacrificed that any who put their faith in Him might pass from death to life.
The "W" flag was flying over the famed Wrigley Field scoreboard last night, capping off a really nice birthday. Wendy and I had to get a little work done yesterday morning before heading south on the "EL" to downtown. There was a Edward Hopper/Winslow Homer exhibition at the Art Institute that we really wanted to see. The Hopper paintings were very, very interesting when placed in chronology. It was fascinating to see a painter’s style and expression evolve.
It was off to Pizano’s, a favorite haunt near the Art Institute, for some lunch before heading back to the hotel for a little nap before the game. We got up and I donned the personalized Cubs jersey Wendy gave me for my birthday before walking down Addison to the game.
The weather was better last night (but not much). We dressed even warmer and brought blankets – so the wind off the Lake didn’t chase us away. We held out in our cheap seats in the upper deck of left field through the 3.5 hour Cubbie slugfest. The fact that our boys in blue pinstripes gave me a birthday "bash" and scored 19 runs (including 2 homers by Iowa Cubs veteran Geo Soto) gave us plenty to cheer about.
"The day of observance will be like a sign on your hand, a memorial between your eyes, and the teaching of God in your mouth. It was with a powerful hand that God brought you out of Egypt. Follow these instructions at the set time, year after year after year." Exodus 13:9-10 (TM)
Wayfarer 