The modern passover meal is a symbolic dinner of matzoh (yeastless crackers), parsley and bitter lettuce, and wine taken in a sequence with prayers and story in between.
The dinner begins with a blessing over wine, a ceremonial handwashing, and a taste of parsley dipped in salt water as a reminder of the tearful lowly life of an Egyptian slave. Then the matzoh is broken.
Next a young boy will ask four questions: 1) why is this night different than all other nights? 2) On other nights, we eat other breads with matzoh, why on this night we eat only matzoh? 3) On other nights we eat other vegetables, why on this night we eat only maror (a piece of Romaine Lettuce dipped in a "brink mortar" mixture of apples, cinnamon, nuts and wine)? And 4) On other nights, we sit or recline to eat, why on this night, we only recline?
And then the dinner concludes with more blessings, the main course, more matzoh.
And as each question is answered, memories of God is passed from one generation to another one. They have done this for 3500 years.
It's not a fancy meal. But in the most ordinary and common ingredients, a grand story is told between the God who created the universe, and the rescue of a suffering people.
Write
Think about your faith story: remember your salvation story. What tokens symbolize you relationship with God? What story do you get to tell about how God found you and rescued you?
Compare you life now with your life when God found you? What has changed? What has stayed the same?
Who do you know is needing to hear you story of God's rescue?
Pray
What
is God saying to you today? What's Good News to you?
Talk to God about your own Exodus experience. Thank God for his pursuit of you, his attention to your cries for help, and for coming to your rescue.
Pray about your current life with him. Ask God for the help you need, the reassureance of his presence, and the courage to cry out and be rescued again.
Pray for your friend who needs to hear your story of rescue. Ask God to give you the opportunity to tell your story.
Pray for an experience of God's love, grace and mercy in the way he is with you, and the way he continues to rescues you, and the way he helps others find rescue through you.