Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 12:30 (New Living Translation)

Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.

What a horrible night. Try to imagine this. Growing up in Sunday school and all that … this was a story of victory. God punished the bad guys—they lost. The good guys won after 400 years of suffering.

Step back as an adult and consider this. Consider the houses on your street, on your road. Consider one morning where someone had died the night before in every house. It is almost unimaginable.

This was the worst night in mankind’s recorded history.

Why? How did this happen? What went wrong?

One person—Pharaoh—one ruler was stubborn. One person misruled. One person. hhhhmmmmm I am one person. I don’t think I can bring death to every house in a community in one night, but what might I do that brings suffering?

And what might I do that brings joy, peace of mind and heart, and a calm sense of good to one other person and one community? And I don’t have to do this all by myself. Jesus is with me. Hmmm. Consider that one a while, please and pray for me that I might consider it as well.