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The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance. (Exodus 12:1-14)
There are certain days in the year when we decorate our houses. Coming up soon will be a day when kids will knock on our doors and expect candy. You know the day I'm talking about, and you know that some folks go all out in making their home creepy and scary. We used to live across the street from a family that made their house look like a movie set, and one year the man went, in my opinion, a bit far with a chain saw that he used to scare kids. Did I mention he was wearing a hockey mask? Yes, very scary. Very loud. It seems that we skip the next special day, Thanksgiving, and go right to Christmas. You may have within your household discussions about when is the best time to decorate your home for our Savior's birth, but there are some that never take down their decorations. Discuss amongst yourselves.
The "marking" I'm talking about follows the markings of this story. Does your household, by its actions and interactions with others, especially neighbors give you away as a home of believers? Are you hospitable, charitable, and friendly towards those who knock on your door? I've shared with you that there is a difference between visitors and guests, and this holds true in our churches. A visitor is an unexpected, unannounced person, who rings your doorbell, you hide, and whisper to your kids to be quiet so they'll go away. A guest, on the other hand, is one you invite and eagerly look forward to having them come and see you. You can't wait for them to be there. How do you think the household of a believer should act?
The markings on the Jews' homes were sacred and very important. It was the night of liberation and it came with a huge cost. Whichever home was not marked with the blood of a sacrificial lamb the angel of death would enter and kill the firstborn of each home. Those homes marked would be passed over (thus the name of that holiday until now, Passover). The meal for Passover was a symbolic meal of remembrance and preparation. They were to remember the bitterness of their days held against their will, and they were to eat in a way that said, "We're ready to leave," for indeed the doors opened and they were set free. In the same way, our homes should be ready to go and serve the Lord wherever it may be He asks.
PRAYER: Lord, mark the doors of my home, and indeed the whole house, with markings of Your presence and love. Help me and those who live with me to be ready to welcome, but also to go and do Your will. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Mark your house and yourself as one who loves the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Request: For those people in the path of Hurricane Irma. Also, for Brandon Mercer, a 13 yr old who had emergency surgery yesterday in Gonzales, Texas. He is recovering in the hospital and should go home today. Pray for one another, too!
