Wandering Aramean

"When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it,  take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name  and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us." The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor.  Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the LORD brought us out of Egypt ....He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; ....Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. ....I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything you commanded me.  Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey." Deut. 26:1-15 TNIV  

Promise to Abram:
"Abram traveled through the land ....At that time the Canaanites were in the land.  The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him." Gen 12: 6-7 NIV 

Promise to Jacob;"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 
Gen 28:15 TNIV 

 Jacob comes back to the land:
"Jacob came home to his father Isaac .....where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.  ....Then Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him." Gen 36:27-29 NIV            

 Jacob lives in the land:
"Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan"  
Gen 37:1 NIV           

Jacob Leaves the land because of the famine and goes to Joseph in Egypt:
"I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.  I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." Gen 46:3-4 NIV 

God tells Moses:"I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land ....a land flowing with milk and honey."  Ex. 3: 17 NIV 

Moses tell the Hebrews before they cross the Red sea:""After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers,  you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb...."        Ex 13:11-12 NIV 

After the Exodus & the giving of the ten commandments:"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.'  Ex 33:1 TNIV  

Say three things ..... (A Liturgy) 

1. "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land..."           
* Declare God's faith fullness 

2. "My father was a wandering Aramean..."              
* Remember your Story 

3. "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow"           
* Live with Mercy , Grace and don't forget 

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations."  Ps. 90:1

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