Easter 5 | Deuteronomy 4:32-40 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
Egypt by Brian Johnson, Cory Asbury, Ethan Hulse, Lee Cummings, and Phil Wickham

Lyrics:
I won’t forget
The wonder of how You brought
Deliverance
The exodus of my heart

You found me
You freed me
Held back the waters for my release
Oh Yahweh

('Cause) You’re the God who fights for me
Lord of every victory
Hallelujah hallelujah
You have torn apart the sea
You have led me through the deep
Hallelujah hallelujah (oh) (whoa)

A cloud by day
Is a sign that You are with me
The fire by night
Is the guiding light to my feet

'Cause You stepped into my Egypt
And You took me by the hand
And You marched me out in freedom
(Straight) Into the promised land
(And) Now I will not forget You God
I’ll sing of all You’ve done
Death is swallowed up forever
By the fury of Your love

Passage:
32 “Indeed, ask about the earlier days that preceded you, from the day God created mankind on the earth and from one end of the heavens to the other: Has anything like this great event ever happened, or has anything like it been heard of? 33 Has a people heard God’s voice speaking from the fire as you have, and lived? 34 Or has a god attempted to go and take a nation as his own out of another nation, by trials, signs, wonders, and war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, by great terrors, as the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 You were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him. 36 He let you hear his voice from heaven to instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard his words from the fire. 37 Because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by his presence and great power, 38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you in and give you their land as an inheritance, as is now taking place. 39 Today, recognize and keep in mind that the LORD is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other. 40 Keep his statutes and commands, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper and so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”
(Deuteronomy 4:32-40 CSB)

Musical Reflection:
O Lord, Hear My Prayer by Jacques Berthier

Reflection Notes:
This song from the Taizé community contains a series of pleas: “O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer; when I call, answer me.” The repeated notes emphasize the insistence of the sung prayer, while the descending lines indicate a deep, almost despairing desire to connect.

Prayer:
Open our hearts, O Lord, and enlighten our minds by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may seek what is well-pleasing to your will; and so order our doings after your commandments that we may be found fit to enter into your everlasting joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
-Bede