Deyanu!

"Blessed are You, O Lord our God,

Ruler of the universe, who has set us apart by His Word,

and in whose Name we light the festival lights."

Forty-three people this year, from 8 weeks old, to 80 years old. Gathered together to celebrate The Passover. We have done this as a family every year since I can remember. Sometimes traveling, sometimes with others, sometimes in our home, and this year, we shared it with many of our closest friends.

The Passover is a time to remember. A time to reflect on the way that Moses became one of God's Mighty Men, as he was used as the instrument that would lead the Lord's people out of captivity. A time to remember the bloodshed, the tears, sweat, and hard work that they endured.. How they were redeemed when they spread the blood of the Passover lamb over their doors, guarding them from great and final plague.

This is analogous of the bloodshed, tears, and sweat that Christ gave up for me. He is my Passover Lamb. He came to us fully human and 100% God, and because of the blood that He shed for me, my sins have been erased. Like the Israelites that night, I don't have to live any longer in fear of death.

As we celebrated together this year, I was struck by one word. Oddly enough, it's the same word that usually stands out to me during the Seder, but one that I tend to forget in-between (maybe because we eat right after this part? ;-)).

Deyanu

(It would have been sufficient)

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

Psalms 145:7

The Haggadah tells of the things that the Lord did for the Israelites, and after each it declares "deyanu!" He could have done so much less for them than He did. But He has done so much more than "enough." I got brutally honest with myself last night, and made my own "deyanu list" and realized that He really has gone above and beyond...

If the Lord had only given me Himself,

but not a family that loves me for who I am,

Deyanu!

If the Lord had gotten me through high school,

but had not allowed me to be homeschooled,

Deyanu!

If the Lord had only shown us how to heal my knee,

but had not brought me a career through it,

Deyanu!

If the Lord had simply shown me His Love,

but had not taught me to Love in the same way,

Deyanu!

If the Lord had only brought our family closer to Him,

but had not healed Mom,

Deyanu!

If the Lord had only shown me a glimpse of Grace,

and not given it to me endless times,

Deyanu!

If the Lord just gave us His Word,

and didn't speak to me in other ways,

Deyanu!

If the Lord allows me to Love on the children of those around me,

but doesn't give me children of my own someday,

It will be sufficient!

If the Lord only works through me,

and doesn't make me "successful",

It will be sufficient!

This word is so powerful.. I get so caught up in wanting more, more, and more. But as I sat down with a pen and paper and composed this list, it knocked me on my back. Or rather, on my knees. I do not deserve all that He has given me. I do deserve death. I deserve to spend eternity in Hell. But because of His Love, Grace, and Mercy, He has supplied all I could ever need. He has been so generous to me, and so good. And for that I am so thankful to Him. I have no way to adequately express it, but thankfully He has given me my lifetime to live out my thanks to Him.

Blessed are You, O God, for you have, in mercy,

supplied all our needs. You have given [me] Messiah,

forgiveness for sin, life abundant and life everlasting.

Hallelujah!