Blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
Barukh atah, A-donai E-loheinu, Melekh Ha-ʿolam, asher qid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu ʿal S’firat Ha-ʿomer.
Count
Today is twenty nine days, which is four weeks and one day of the Omer.
Meditation
Exodus 12:11-13
11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
Devotional
The people of Israel were to prepare and ready for the coming of God at night to leave Egypt at a moment’s notice. The readiness and preparedness of the people of God is a pattern that repeats throughout scripture. “Out of Egypt God has called My son” (Hosea 11:1). God’s people are to always look for his coming and appearance. During the Babylonian Exile, God showed up in the fire with the three Hebrew youths (Daniel 3:250. God hears, sees and knows our situations, challenges, suffering and problems. God comes to see about us as He promised (Exodus 2:23-25). The prophet Joel says the Day of the Lord for it is a day of darkness, gloom and judgment (Joel 2:2). It recalls the day of judgment God walking in the garden after the sin of Adam. When the people arrive at Mt Sinai which is wrapped in a dark cloud and stop. Yet they must prepare for God’s coming. In the New Testament, the church is too ready for the coming of Jesus whose coming is described as a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43). In the Book of Revelation, the church is commanded to come out from among “Babylon” (Rev 18:4) so that they do not participate in the judgment of that great kingdom responsible for the suffering of God’s people and the world. On the eve of Passover, Israel was to place blood around the door so God would see the blood of the slain victim and judgment would pass them by. But judgment will come for the victimizer and the sinner. God comes to rescue the sinned against. God warned Pharaoh any injustice done unto His people would be returned upon him (Exodus 4:21-23). Are we ready for God’s coming? God comes in many and diverse ways (Hebrews 1:1-4). About those who trust God and Christ, Revelation 12:11 says, “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” We don’t overcome evil with evil. But we overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14-21).