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The Yoke of Oppression

I gave this short drash (or homily) on Passover at our Messianic synagogue last year. As I prayed through my nervousness that morning, a picture of our savior Yeshua dancing away came to my mind. He said the freedom He brought to me through this message He would bring to others in the congregation. May it be!

“Three years ago, my husband and I saw the day before Passover as the perfect opportunity to prepare a garden and act out some of the Passover story while getting our kids to do some productive digging. As we dug, we talked about the heavy burden Pharaoh laid on us, making us dig clay and bake bricks. And ever since this Moses guy showed up, we had to gather our own straw too!
“We cried out to God to save us from this yoke of oppression. And then we found it–we found the yoke of oppression! I have no idea why this wooden yoke (or harness, whatever it is) was buried two feet below the only place in our yard acceptable for a garden, but it was exactly the visual we and our children needed of God’s salvation from bondage for our ancestors–and for us.”

As I held the yoke up for all to see, the two pieces detached–the yoke was broken! The yoke of oppression has been broken!

“If you faced oppression this week, perhaps it’s the Ruach digging up an issue in your life where He wants to bring freedom. May you dig deep with Him in prayer during this season with renewed trust that Adonai doesn’t only want to take you out of Egypt, but take Egypt out of you.”

The weight of His timing and the anointing this story carries was too much for me to make it through my reading without tears.

Chag sameach. Happy Passover!