O mighty Spirit of the Diamond, Cast your spell on us, humble mortals. Majestic heavens embrace your power, Where galaxies collide, and stars ignite.
Reveal to us your universal secrets, Magnetic forces under your command, Guiding planets in their cosmic dance, Around the blazing orb of day.
Pull us toward the gravitational center, Infuse us with your holy Spirit, Impart your wisdom to us, we pray, Renounce the demons, cleanse our souls.
Mesmerize us with incandescent brilliance, Chip away our dark and hardened shells, Revealing the authenticity within, An unadulterated mind, free to soar.
Your flawlessness radiates purity, Summoning Angels from realms on high, To join us in celestial harmony, Welcoming us with such delight.
Sanctify us with your transformative power, Pour forth the nectar of the gods, Nourish us on this spiritual journey From now until the end of time.
When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell, and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.
Exodus 9:23,24
The Story of the Plagues comes from the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament. It begins 400 years prior when the Israelites had become enslaved in Egypt. They prayed. And prayed for a very long time.
Moses& Aaron.
God inflicted ten plagues to convince Pharoah to free the Israelites. God chose Moses for this task and for leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. But Moses thought he wasn’t a good choice. So, God selected his brother, Aaron, to help him.
Moses was a fascinating choice for several reasons. First, he floated down the Nile River as a baby and was retrieved and adopted by the Pharoah’s daughter. This meant that Moses grew up in royalty. When he later learned of his true biological heritage, he killed an Egyptian, fled Egypt, went to Midian, and became a shepherd. He was there for 40 years.
Equally compelling was God choosing Aaron. Even though Aaron was Moses’ brother, Aaron had grown up a Levite. Not an Egyptian. It was intriguing that God chose two brothers raised entirely differently. And they both heeded the call of God to protect and free the Israelites.
Tough Nut.
Interestingly, each of the ten plagues is related to an Egyptian god. Pharoah was tough to crack because the first six plagues didn’t scare him. (1) The Nile River turned into blood, (2) frogs covered the land, (3) dust became gnats, (4) swarms of flies, (5) disease inflicted on livestock, and (6) soot became boils on the skin of the Egyptians including their animals.
Image source: Public Domain (need pix dot com)
Thunder. Hail.
Then, God sent a hailstorm.
Not just any hailstorm.
One that would kill anyone that was outside.
For each plague, Pharoah believed that the Egyptian gods would outsmart the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
But he was wrong.
Moses and Aaron, both appointed by God, were faithful in their servitude. Then came (8) the locusts the day after the east wind blew. Next, (9) total darkness fell upon the land for three days. The last plague was the death of the first-born son, which will lead us into the next blog post on The Passover.
Finally, the Pharoh liberated the Israelites so they could resume their quest to arrive at the Promised Land. The Story of the Plagues teaches us about God’s power and choice of helpers. Kindness, loyalty, and faithfulness are what God seeks.
Lessons Learned
As we move into Fall, let us learn lessons from The Story of the Plagues and how it applies to our lives.
#1. Actions have Consequences. #2. Have Faith. #3. Be Patient. (And Generous)
The plagues were a direct result of Pharaoh’s unwillingness to obey God. Likewise, our actions have consequences, and we must carefully weigh our choices. The Israelites had faith and worshiped God even when complaining they were slaves. Having faith means that things will work out how they need to, even when it seems they won’t.
God was patient with Pharoah even when he was stubborn. God gave him lots of chances to be obedient. If God can be patient, so can we. We must be generous with our time to allow others time to process for themselves.
Remember the Story of the Plagues of Egypt the next time you see and hear hail. They are a powerful reminder of God’s sovereignty and ability to use weather to accomplish His purposes.
Be faithful. Answer God’s call to action. Praise God for his patience. Ask God for an abundance of patience.
Take a Deep Breath.
Breathe in patience and exhale stubbornness.
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We are in different stages in our life journey, so we ask your help meeting us where we are.
Sit with us.
Hold our hand.
Listen to us.
Give us a hug.
Drink wine with us.
Share a meal with us.
The basics for sustenance. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Meats and baked breads.
We are thankful O Lord, for all you provide.
The foundation for spiritual nourishment. Holy scripture. Holy Spirit. A community of friends.
We are thankful O Lord, for all you provide.
Without you we are just a bag of bones. Brittle. Stale. Broken.
With you, Lord, we are caring souls. Resilient. Refreshed. Whole.
We are thankful O Lord, for all you provide.
We are thankful O Lord, for your infinite mercy and grace. May you shower us with your healing power. And let us remember to be grateful for what we have, not wishing for what we don’t have.
Yom Kippur is the day of atonement. According to myjewishlearning.com, “Yom Kippur is when God seals the Books of Life and Death for the coming year.” The overall theme of Yom Kippur is repentance. It is the most solemn day in the life of Judaism.
Yom Kippur, “is the day…to divorce ourselves completely as humanly possible from the mundane world in which we live, in order to devote ourselves with all our hearts and minds to our relationship with the Divine.”
Myjewishlearning.com
It is my belief, that the Divine requires us repent. To repent to our fellow humans, and to repent to the Almighty for thoughts, deeds, or words we may have or have not said. Repentance is required for renewal and reconciliation.
If I have offended any of my brothers or sisters, I apologize from the depth of my being and hereby ask for forgiveness of any unkind word, thought or action I may or may not have had or done.
G’mar chatima tovah. Wishing you all to be sealed in the Book of Life.
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam
I am flawed. I am human. I have made mistakes. Forgive me, oh Lord, for I have sinned. Heal my festering wound, so I can start anew.
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Do you ever wonder about seashells? How they form? How critical they are to our environment? After reading a few articles, seashells are very important. They are mostly calcium with a sprinkle of protein and form from mollusks. Who knew? In fact, they are so vital that it is against the law in some countries to remove them from the ocean. When I think of a seashell, I can imagine the length of refining it took for what it became rather than how it began. And that sure sounds like labor.
A friend recently posted on lifelong labor, retirement, and the meaning of life. It was a great post – so feel free to check it out.
Photo Credit: Carol Leigh, “South African Turban Shell” fineartamerica.com
I commented “life is about finding meaning and the worth of existence. The word retirement needs to be thrown out the window and replaced with refocusment (I made the word up) or, perhaps even better, refinement?“
Which got me thinking about what refinement might look like. Could it possibly be the process of discovering ourselves in the bigger scheme of existence in relationship to others? If we put others first, a basic tenet of Christianity, perhaps labor would feel less like labor.
As I muddled through life, I performed an array of odd “labor.” I cut lawns, lifeguarded, and babysat so I could pay college tuition. I worked at a sporting goods store for three years too. Then, I was lucky enough to earn a college degree and start my first full-time professional job. What they didn’t teach in college was that a degree in psychology and working in education would never afford you to have any real discretionary income. But it was enough to provide food and shelter. Then, I found my knight in shining armor, or so I thought.
I had been blessed as a stay-at-home mom for nearly ten years while I raised my two boys. Most honest parents will tell you that raising kids is no picnic. But not having to dress in a corporate suit and wear heels every day was lovely. Then, I hit a rough patch of another ten years where it seemed that working was all I was doing. It sure sounded like Joseph telling the Pharoah that seven years of famine would follow seven years of abundance. (Genesis 41). I worked at a grocery store and taught pre-school to pay bills and have food on the table. At the same time, I was trying to launch a consulting firm. I did manage (by the grace of God) to pick up a few consulting gigs at fascinating places – and the best part? I didn’t have to wear heels. And then the money started to flow. My college degrees were finally paying off. I can’t imagine people who have to work to survive over the long haul.
During this almost penniless, having three dollars and forty-three cents to my name timeframe, I had to work with little time to refine. Yet perhaps that whole time spent piecing together four part-time gigs was part of the refining process. I certainly would not be the person I am today; had I not had the experience of being thrown down into a deep dark tunnel only to climb myself out of it with the help of others. Not that I wish that experience on anyone, but it was undoubtedly a testimony to my grit.
It took a village to support and encourage me to take a leap of faith—a leap to Arkansas, where I found peace and my tribe. And, if you are being pulled in a specific direction – take the leap of faith! I miss my tribe dearly – but I know they are all within me and part of the refining process. Kind of like the shell, taking years to form from cells, calcium, and proteins floating in the ocean. Yes, it takes a village; sometimes, it is one person, and at other times, it may be many people. What does your village look like?
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Our Creator who art above the firmament, hallow our inner spirit. Thy wisdom come. Thy will be done, on the path we walk each day. Give peace to our sons and daughters, and forgive us for what we did not know, as we forgive them for what they did not know, and lead us not into a dark tunnel of gloom, but deliver us from the stronghold of estrangement. For you are the Creator of all wisdom, forgiveness, love, and acceptance forever and ever. Amen
I and Thou Reflections 