Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:
The Bible is filled with stories of God’s deliverance to people who were in dire straits. It is filled with stories of miracles and restoration and second chances for people, whether they seemed to deserve it or not.
And the Bible is filled with, like last week, parts of the story that make us uncomfortable as we live in the reality of God’s all encompassing and unconditional love for all.
This week’s Bible reading from Exodus 14:19-31 recounts the miraculous escape of the Hebrew people when they were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and an uncrossable body of water. God sent a strong wind to dry up the body of water overnight – and then after God’s people had crossed safely, God brought the waters back, casting Pharaoh’s army into the sea.
Like last week, I lament the victory of the Hebrew people at the expense of the Egyptian soldiers. I’ve also read that in an ancient Jewish midrash about this story, a rabbi writes that in this event God was weeping because the Egyptians are God’s children too.
I do believe that God loves all the people and that God desires that all people will turn away from any evil and toward God. And I believe that no matter what situation we are in, God’s deliverance, restoration and redemption are close at hand.
How do you experience this week’s reading?
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