Wednesday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon

Sandy Sasso, in her book, God's Echo, writes about Miriam and Moses:

"Miriam danced. And I wonder, would I have danced? There were all those years of oppression, slavery, and nothing going right. She was the older sister, but her brother, Moses, received all the acclaim. She watched in the bulrushes to insure his safety and did everything in her power to save him, cut he took the lead in the Exodus drama. Her imagination saved a whole generation from disaster, but no one seemed to notice. Moses gave us the Torah, tradition says, and the words echo through the generations to my own day. But what about the teaching Miriam gave us?

And yet Miriam danced. And I wonder, could I have danced? Caught between nature's fury and human rage the people of Israel had to make an act of faith--or was it foolishness?--to walk through the waters. The movies make the trek to freedom look like an easy stroll. But what about all the mud and seaweed, the women in long skirts carrying babies, and everyone with the wrong shoes? Miriam's sandals couldn't have survived the crossing. I imagine she discarded them along with any other excess baggage. She kept only her tambourine--a strange choice. What use could she have imagined for a musical instrument in the desert? Better a jug of water, I think.

And still Miriam danced. And I wonder, would I have joined her? She had to have questioned God. Why allow so many years of slavery? Why harden Pharaoh's heart? She couldn't have thought it was God who ordained it all and still sing praises.

And yet Miriam danced. She might have complained about the difficulties, despaired about the unknown tomorrow. Many who made the Exodus journey did just that. 'It was better in Egypt,' they said, 'better than drowning in the sea or dying of thirst and hunger in the desert.'

Yet Miriam lifted her tambourine and made the sound of hope. And the people heard it carried in the wind, singing in the waves. So Miriam danced, and all the people joined her.

I think that I will dance with them."

Rabbi Sandy Sasso will be our featured speaker here at the church November 9th. She has written many children's books and we will be studying God's Echo beginning at noon the last Wednesday of October.

What Miriam did? She saved her younger brother. He would have been killed. She saved the life of a child.

More than the life of a child, she preserved a whole faith tradition. Had she not acted there would have been no Exodus, no 10 Commandments, no burning bush, no Promised Land, no Joshua, and no Israel. There would have been no prophets, no psalms, no Jonah, no Job.

One woman's concern for a child changed the course of history.

Sunday is Children's Sabbath. What changes have happened because someone cared about the life of a child?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the "comments' box below.

If you would like a preliminary copy of the sermon Friday afternoon or Saturday morning indicate that and I will email it to you.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles