“The Israelites had escaped the control of Pharaoh and now fled into the desert tribe by tribe. Not one by one in isolation, but together, side by side, communally, men, women, and children.”- Meredith McDaniel
“All the Israelites did exactly as God commanded Moses and Aaron. That very day God brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, tribe by tribe.”- Exodus 12:50-51 (MSG)
Section 3 (“Tribe by Tribe: I am Free”) of In Want + Plenty includes Chapters 7 and 8. In Chapter 6, Meredith McDaniel notes that the Israelites escaped Pharaoh’s control and fled into the desert communally – tribe by tribe. But, for the children of Israel, freedom meant unfamiliar territory. Because, for over four hundred years, they only knew one way of life – slavery.
Therefore, Meredith asks, do you:
- feel like something else controls your every move and thought?
- find yourself waking up at night and feeling stressed, already in panic mode about the next day?
Furthermore, Meredith believes, the Israelites probably felt a wide variety of emotions as they entered the wilderness. Certainly, they possessed only a vague notion of where they were headed. In addition, when change comes, it’s often scary and uncertain. Yet, the people started to wake up once they encountered freedom.
In conclusion, Meredith summarizes:
“Life can be full of chaos; yet it brings a fullness that we might not otherwise have known. Joy and sorrow and everything between these extremes make up the fabric of live and bind us together. . . . Gathering to share our stories helps us remember what is true and can bend our hearts toward worship.
May we be the people who stay connected even when it’s hard. May we let our hidden hurt be seen, share in one another’s sorrows, and love loud.”
Today’s question: How do you reveal your hidden hurt and share in one another’s sorrows communally? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Patterns that persist in our own life”
