I’ve been telling you the story of Passover. We left off on Moses telling Pharoah to “let his people go.” Of course, Pharoah refused. So God allowed ten plagues to rain down upon the Egyptians. Frogs, lice, cattle disease, etc…But Pharoah would break his word every time God lifted the plague. Then, God unleashed His final plague…
The Angel of Death came to each house in Egypt. Jewish families put lamb’s blood over the doors to mark their homes. Homes without the lamb’s were entered by the Angel of Death, and the first born Egyptian(s) in the house died. Lambs sacrificed for this purpose were called the paschal lamb. Jesus is also referred to as “the lamb of God.
Jews don’t do this lamb’s blood thing anymore. We do eat lamb though. I avoided it for years. The thought of eating a little creature. But I gotta admit, they taste SO good! I do eat lamb at Passover.
Right now, I’m sitting at my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant and waiting for a wonderful lamb meal to take home and eat for my Shabbat.(Sabbath).
We shared many Sabbaths together, remember? I’d light candles and say a blessing. Then, we’d usually eat pizza, because I knew you liked it. I wanted you to enjoy the moment when I lighted the candles. It probably felt strange to you, as it did not occur in your home each week. But, it is a regular thing at my home on Friday nights. And you can do it too.
Find two candles with holders and matches. (Be sure to ask the parent’s permission) When three stars are in the sky, light the candles. You don’t have to say anything special. Just talk to God. Really talk to Him – like he’s right there in the room with you. You can even do this with a picture of lighted candles that you have drawn. What matters most is the time you “sacrifice” or set aside time for a connection with God.
A wave of serenity and comfort will wash over you and you will feel His presence.
You may not believe the Passover story of the ten plagues, but you can believe that God is with you. Listen to how, the mere act of lighting candles, gives these Jewish women a sense of peace and serenity.