April 5, 2021

God Delivers Us

April 5, 2021

DAILY READING

Exodus 14:10-31

FIELD NOTES

What a glorious Easter we celebrated yesterday!  Christ has Risen!  Death has been conquered!  Glory to God! Amen!

In these passages from Exodus, the Israelites were delivered from the spiritual death in Egypt where they were prevented from worshiping God and forced to work in slavery only to face what appears to be certain death as the Egyptians close from behind and they are pushed to the shores of a deep and thrashing sea.  They wonder if they have been delivered from slavery just to be killed? What fear, panic and anguish as death looms before them!

Death presents itself in many ways in our own community and around the world.  While we frequently acknowledge actual death from sickness, war, and malnutrition, we often forget the spiritual death that comes from anything that separates us or our neighbors from God.  In this way, there is death in addiction, distraction, and in life’s busyness that prevents us from focusing on God. 

Even in the face of death something miraculous happens to the Israelites.  As they find themselves paralyzed by panic and anxiety, God delivers them.  Through Moses, God parts the sea and the Israelites pass through unharmed.  By rising from the grave, Christ gave us the power to escape the power death holds over us. We can rightly claim that death in whatever form will not rule our lives!  Although we acknowledge that our earthly lives will pass, we celebrate that we serve and worship a mighty and awesome God that parts the seas of keeping us from Him and delivers us from worry and fear into His full and awesome peace. 

PRAYER GUIDE

Dear God, deliver me from the anxieties and busyness that rule my life as you delivered the Israelites from Egypt and delivered Jesus from death on the cross.  Conquer all of the worldly distractions that deal me death each day. Turn my eyes, I pray, towards the Risen Christ and help me to find true peace in You.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

  • What do you feel “deals you death” each day?
  • How do you feel you can help deliver your friends, family, neighbor, or the poor from death this week?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

  • How does God bring you peace when you are worried about something?
  • What does the Easter story teach you about God?