Yearning for a Fresh Start
The new year, even if you are not the goal setting type, feels like a new beginning for many of us. Even though I no longer purchase a crisp new planner and pack of colorful pens, the experience of “January” still fills me with the same nostalgic feeling of starting over; having an opportunity to look at the world a bit differently.
While most of the blog posts you find this week will be all about your physical and emotional well being, I am looking to a different fresh start: being more intentional about creating space for spiritual practices such as prayer, solitude, fasting, and communal living. Logistically, this is harder than it seems. As I look to the weeks ahead, we have job interviews, busy indoor soccer schedules, and invitations to do more, be more. Instead, I choose to reorient myself on the only thing that brings me joy, peace, and contentment. The One who brings me a fresh beginning every day. Join me, will you?
photo by Leeloo The First
Lately I have been very interested in Jewish tradition and noticing that my life can be different if I give myself permission to allow words like shalom, shabbat, and restoration to be the foundation of my day-to-day. It can be easy to look to churches, culture, or my own desires in search for happiness and satisfaction, but eventually I have found each of these things to leave me more empty due to unfulfilled promises and misguided expectation.
Over the next couple of months I am focusing on the Shema (sh’ma), a prayer written for the Israelites (Hebrew people) after God brought them out of slavery. If you are familiar with the story of Moses, you will remember that he was adopted by the Egyptian royalty when the Pharoah commanded that all the Hebrew babies were to be killed to manage the increase in population. Moses was adopted, but fled to Midian when his fury lead him to kill an Egyptian who was abusing one of his own people.
In response to hearing the cries of His people in their captivity, God came to Moses to invite him to participate in what He was doing. Despite Moses’ many requests for God to use someone more qualified, God sent Moses (with some support he requested) to his adoptive family to ask them (Pharoah) to free the Israelites from oppression. After many plagues and miracles, including losing the first born son of every household that did not submit to the Lord, Pharoah eventually relented and let them leave.
With joy they left Egypt, however Pharoah’s heart became cold once again and his men eventually pursued Moses and the Israelites where they had made camp: along the Red Sea. They were cornered and had no way to escape until the Lord commanded Moses to lift his staff and part the sea. When he listened to the Lord, Moses saw the unexpected path to safety God had provided in the parted waters. In response to God’s provision, Moses and his (biological) sister, Miriam sang this song; a song of gratitude:
“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.“In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble… …Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders.“You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling… …You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.“The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” (Exodus 16:1b-7; 11-13; 17-18)
Weeks after they were rescued, the Israelites complained, and God provided for them over and over again with whatever they needed. Water from a rock, food (manna) each morning, and quail were sent by God to them in the middle of the dessert. He even kept them safe when they were attacked by the Amalekite army. God also sent Moses his community: his wife and children and his father-in-law, Jethro. It was Jethro who reminded Moses that in this new community, he needed to allow others to support him in his leadership, that he needed to be apart of the community, not just lead them. Then, God had Moses prepare the people for Him to come near to them. The Lord then gave Moses and the Israelites the Ten Commandments to help them navigate their new found freedom. The law was a given to protect them from being tempted to live without His guidance and support.
In order to remember these commands, Moses explains (Deutoronomy 6) the reason God gave them the law: to give them what is best for them. Not to give them an empty temporary happiness, but to give them a life of abundant dependance on Him.
“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)
We have a choice each and every day to make this shift in mindset and over the next several weeks here on the blog, we will discuss the Shema, his next words. Weekly, we will unpack their incredible simplicity, complexity, and value. Until then, may you rest in awareness and gratitude of having the same God who delivered the Hebrew people from slavery of oppression also offers you the same freedom through Christ.
Because of God’s incredible love for us, He again heard the cries of His people whom He loves and freed us from oppression as well. God wants us to live abundantly with Him as our leader and guide. Studying the lives of the the Israelites who struggled to navigate their release from slavery will allow us to also live in awareness of our own freedom from believing our mistakes and failures define us. Even though sin still pursues us, we require community and we benefit from God continuing to reveal Himself to us. He has given us tools, like the Ten Commandments and the Shema, to help us refocus our attention where it belongs. When we do, we have the opportunity to become who we were created to be; to be people who are able to receive and embrace the incredible gift of love God offers us.
May you not focus on having a year of empty happiness or worldly success, but allow yourself to receive and embrace the encompassing love of our powerful God. May you experience joy, peace, and awareness of your immeasurable value.
