"Are you all alright?" comes the whisper from the darkness. A familiar voice; I can breathe.
"Mariah?"
Wide brown eyes, a tired face and thick, dark curls peek from behind the wooden door frame.
"Thank the Lord you all made it through." she gasps as she rushes to embrace me. "It won't be long now. Jehovah will bring us to freedom. I know it."
"How is little Hadassah doing?"
"She's well, she slept through most the night, unlike the rest of the family. But I best be getting back to them, they're still a little shaken." And with that, she disappeared once again into the dark.
Breath. We made it. Breath. Everything is alright. Breath. Jehovah with provide. Breath.
The child in my arms breaks into a whine, breaking my musings with it. My husband and young son are out checking with the other families. Shrill cries can be heard in the distance. The angel left a wailing Egypt in its wake.
It burns to close my bloodshot eyes, but my body cries for rest. On edge all night, every tensed muscle desires to relax. The first light of morning begins to spill into the room as I and my child doze off.
* * *
Jewelry. Gold. Clothing. Precious commodities. They tell us to collect them from the Egyptians. Can it really be that we are leaving?
Egypt is all I've ever known. Hard work, long days, dust and pain, here is where I've spend my days. I thought I would die on this soil, as I've watched so many before me. Though I know the God of my ancestors is great, could Jehovah really be doing this here, now and with this people? My mind reels at the thought of it. They are scared though, the Egyptians. I guess that makes collecting their goods that much easier. Their scars are before us now, brought out be the plagues, the loss, pain and darkness. A new light is rising for us now and my heart rises with it. After so much pain, hope has finally lit up our eyes. We gather, nervous anticipation bubbling out our every faucet.
Our feet move quickly, years of being forced at fast pace make the habit hard to break. Dust licks our faces, filling out eyes and caking up in layers upon our feet. The lowing of cattle and the questions of children fill the air. I cast my gaze upward to meet that of my husband. His eyes are locked, set before him like stone. Beads of sweat roll down his dirty face, making trails through the dust. His jaw is locked, his breaths deep and long. Yet there remains a softness behind his countenance that I've rarely seen. Relief. Peace. Perhaps even the beginnings of what my be joy. I know his overly cautious nature won't let him be free internally. At least not yet.
Slowly but surely, we make our trek to freedom. Even after hours upon hours of travel, the mass that is out small nation presses onward still. A mighty shout is heard in the distance, causing the ball in my throat to finally drop into my stomach at long last. Whispers spread through the crowd as if it was what we were all expecting anyway. They're coming and we know it. Perhaps freedom was too high a goal.
My arm instinctively grabs that of my husband, the firmness of his body is all that keeps me steady. I pray the child on my back will not wake as my free hand quickly clutches my other son. My feet keep their pace, but my mind is in a frozen standstill. I dawdle along with the mass of people, trying to somehow form a cognitive thought. Suddenly, we stop. I lift my eyes for answers and am met with the taunting blockade of the black sea before us. As the water kisses the shoreline, it mocks us. "So this is how it will end." I settle with myself in my mind.
Suddenly, a boom of thunder jolts me back to life. As collective gasps and cries pour from my people, I swing around to see. What my eyes behold is too much for my mind to try to comprehend. A mighty pillar of fire becomes our defense against the approaching army. It appears as if the sun itself has landed upon the earth. I can feel its heat from where I stand a great distance away.
"Jehovah," the name shudders passed my lips without thought. It must be Him. How could it not be?
As the thunder cries out once more, it rattles though my soul. The crowd disappears in my mind as my gaze shifts to the man before us. Though we thought of Moses as a madman, now he appears a pillar of hope. He lifts his simple shepherds staff above his head like a warrior. Nothing could prepare us for this.
The rushing sound that follows almost mimics the thunder in its volume. The black waters rise and rise and rise. As the sea splits, my heart stops and my breath escapes me. I search the faces of those who surround me, but find in their expressions there is no more clarity than in my own. Yet though our minds don't quite understand what we're to do, our hearts are compelled forward, onward. On to hope, to life, and to freedom.
As my family takes our first step into what just moments ago was deep waters, the salty spray blows up in my face. Hope and anticipation rush through my bloodstream and pump with every beat of my heart. The trek through the walls of water almost seems surreal, none of us quite know what to say. I can see the end in sight.
Warm, salty water tastes sharp on my tongue, though it's not the sea water this time, but unexpected tears of joy. They cascade down my face, the overflow of the emotion within me. As I take my final step unto new land, my heart can contain it no longer. Jehovah. He is Lord.
As the rest of my people reach their new home, hugs are exchanged, countenances lifted. We turn back to see the army now advancing towards us once more. Though they may be armed with weapons we cannot match, we are now armed with the confidence in our God.
The last of our people cross the threshold, the sea begins to fall even more rapidly than rose. The waters roar and men yell, running to escape the hand of the Almighty. As armor and remains wash up on the shoreline, a mighty cry breaks free from the very souls of my people.Finally the joy that we've continually shoved deep within us comes out in vibrant worship and glorious songs of praise. My sleeping child finally wakes, but at his point, it no longer matters. The people dance, children twirl and tambourines begin to play, their music filling the air. I look towards heaven and smile.
Jehovah. He is Lord.
"Mariah?"
Wide brown eyes, a tired face and thick, dark curls peek from behind the wooden door frame.
"Thank the Lord you all made it through." she gasps as she rushes to embrace me. "It won't be long now. Jehovah will bring us to freedom. I know it."
"How is little Hadassah doing?"
"She's well, she slept through most the night, unlike the rest of the family. But I best be getting back to them, they're still a little shaken." And with that, she disappeared once again into the dark.
Breath. We made it. Breath. Everything is alright. Breath. Jehovah with provide. Breath.
The child in my arms breaks into a whine, breaking my musings with it. My husband and young son are out checking with the other families. Shrill cries can be heard in the distance. The angel left a wailing Egypt in its wake.
It burns to close my bloodshot eyes, but my body cries for rest. On edge all night, every tensed muscle desires to relax. The first light of morning begins to spill into the room as I and my child doze off.
* * *
Jewelry. Gold. Clothing. Precious commodities. They tell us to collect them from the Egyptians. Can it really be that we are leaving?
Egypt is all I've ever known. Hard work, long days, dust and pain, here is where I've spend my days. I thought I would die on this soil, as I've watched so many before me. Though I know the God of my ancestors is great, could Jehovah really be doing this here, now and with this people? My mind reels at the thought of it. They are scared though, the Egyptians. I guess that makes collecting their goods that much easier. Their scars are before us now, brought out be the plagues, the loss, pain and darkness. A new light is rising for us now and my heart rises with it. After so much pain, hope has finally lit up our eyes. We gather, nervous anticipation bubbling out our every faucet.
Our feet move quickly, years of being forced at fast pace make the habit hard to break. Dust licks our faces, filling out eyes and caking up in layers upon our feet. The lowing of cattle and the questions of children fill the air. I cast my gaze upward to meet that of my husband. His eyes are locked, set before him like stone. Beads of sweat roll down his dirty face, making trails through the dust. His jaw is locked, his breaths deep and long. Yet there remains a softness behind his countenance that I've rarely seen. Relief. Peace. Perhaps even the beginnings of what my be joy. I know his overly cautious nature won't let him be free internally. At least not yet.
Slowly but surely, we make our trek to freedom. Even after hours upon hours of travel, the mass that is out small nation presses onward still. A mighty shout is heard in the distance, causing the ball in my throat to finally drop into my stomach at long last. Whispers spread through the crowd as if it was what we were all expecting anyway. They're coming and we know it. Perhaps freedom was too high a goal.
My arm instinctively grabs that of my husband, the firmness of his body is all that keeps me steady. I pray the child on my back will not wake as my free hand quickly clutches my other son. My feet keep their pace, but my mind is in a frozen standstill. I dawdle along with the mass of people, trying to somehow form a cognitive thought. Suddenly, we stop. I lift my eyes for answers and am met with the taunting blockade of the black sea before us. As the water kisses the shoreline, it mocks us. "So this is how it will end." I settle with myself in my mind.
Suddenly, a boom of thunder jolts me back to life. As collective gasps and cries pour from my people, I swing around to see. What my eyes behold is too much for my mind to try to comprehend. A mighty pillar of fire becomes our defense against the approaching army. It appears as if the sun itself has landed upon the earth. I can feel its heat from where I stand a great distance away.
"Jehovah," the name shudders passed my lips without thought. It must be Him. How could it not be?
As the thunder cries out once more, it rattles though my soul. The crowd disappears in my mind as my gaze shifts to the man before us. Though we thought of Moses as a madman, now he appears a pillar of hope. He lifts his simple shepherds staff above his head like a warrior. Nothing could prepare us for this.
The rushing sound that follows almost mimics the thunder in its volume. The black waters rise and rise and rise. As the sea splits, my heart stops and my breath escapes me. I search the faces of those who surround me, but find in their expressions there is no more clarity than in my own. Yet though our minds don't quite understand what we're to do, our hearts are compelled forward, onward. On to hope, to life, and to freedom.
As my family takes our first step into what just moments ago was deep waters, the salty spray blows up in my face. Hope and anticipation rush through my bloodstream and pump with every beat of my heart. The trek through the walls of water almost seems surreal, none of us quite know what to say. I can see the end in sight.
Warm, salty water tastes sharp on my tongue, though it's not the sea water this time, but unexpected tears of joy. They cascade down my face, the overflow of the emotion within me. As I take my final step unto new land, my heart can contain it no longer. Jehovah. He is Lord.
As the rest of my people reach their new home, hugs are exchanged, countenances lifted. We turn back to see the army now advancing towards us once more. Though they may be armed with weapons we cannot match, we are now armed with the confidence in our God.
The last of our people cross the threshold, the sea begins to fall even more rapidly than rose. The waters roar and men yell, running to escape the hand of the Almighty. As armor and remains wash up on the shoreline, a mighty cry breaks free from the very souls of my people.Finally the joy that we've continually shoved deep within us comes out in vibrant worship and glorious songs of praise. My sleeping child finally wakes, but at his point, it no longer matters. The people dance, children twirl and tambourines begin to play, their music filling the air. I look towards heaven and smile.
Jehovah. He is Lord.
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