Two Meanings

 

A few weeks ago, we heard how the name “Moses” has two different meanings.  In Hebrew, Moses means, “drawn from water.”

 

Pause with me on your “Moses’ moments” when you were drawn from water.  I think of my baptism at age 12 at Eden UCC in Iowa.  I think of a trip to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota in my teen age years ~ a week of canoeing and camping and feel close to God.  I think how my wife and I returned to the Boundary Waters for our honeymoon.  I think about living next to the Gulf Waters now, how the waves wash up on the soft sand of Siesta Beach, and the sound of the sea can soothe me. 

 

Moses is also an Egyptian name meaning, “Born of or son of…”  In Egyptian, the word “Moses” is incomplete, leaves you hanging, the word is fragmented or just a fraction of what it could be.  The word, “Moses” in Egyptian is partial and patchy. 

 

Pause with me on this meaning of Moses’ name.  Ever felt incomplete or less than whole?  “Only on days that end in ‘y’, Wes,” you think to yourself.  Ever felt like something was off or there was a call into the unknown-ness of the world ~ but you were unsure about taking that first step? 

 

Moses is genetically connected to one group and relationally bound to another.  His DNA calls him a son of Abraham and Sarah, but his street address says that he has power/privilege.  There is a tension that is true both then and there for Moses and still for each of us.  Genetically we are all connected, but politically, relationally, geographically, religiously we are separated by canyons today – may feel incomplete or less than whole.  Feel and hold that tension with me.   

 

The genius of Exodus is that Moses lives both meanings of his identity.  He lives in the Pharaoh’s palace, but he is incomplete.  He rubs elbows with the rich and famous, but that is not truly who he is.  It is only when he lives from his Hebrew roots of being drawn from the water that he can stand before the waters of the Red Sea with God’s grace. 

 

Water flows through Exodus, the book is hydropower ~ from the name of Moses to God’s way of liberating love being through the Red Sea.  I invite you today to take a cup of water and hold this life-giving, thirst-quenching liquid before you.  Take a small sip.  Feel how the water washes away the dryness of your mouth and slowly flows down your throat.

Pause. 

Give thanks.

Now take another sip.

 

In the waters of baptism, you and I claim our original identity of being sons and daughters of God.  In the waters of baptism, you and I hear our inheritance of being created/crafted in Gd’s image.  In the waters of baptism, we are renewed every waking day. 

Take another sip…say your name aloud…and listen for God’s love blessing you this day and week.  Amen.