The Gift of Water
Text: Exodus 15:19-27
When Miriam first inquired about baptism, she asked if I would consider an option for immersion. I took it seriously, but I didn’t have any clue as to where and how. In all the baptism ceremonies I’ve been involved in, we used a tiny little bit of water – so little that we could barely feel the depth of water. I know the value of symbolism. How we use our symbols speaks volumes of what we actually believe in. Miriam’s request opened my mind and heart to practice what I actually believe. So, I began to search for possibilities of immersion. I phoned a local united church whose sanctuary has a baptism pool. I posted a question on Facebook page where united church ministers across Canada help each other. To my surprise, quite a number of ministers have done immersion, and they all found it moving and meaningful. I was struck by one minister’s comment. When she was ministering in a First Nation community, an Indigenous person said to her, the church building was too small for the Creator. So, they went to a river and baptized him. That story reminded me of the place Jesus was baptized – in the Jordan River. Although we aren’t baptizing in an outdoor setting this morning, it was a great learning opportunity for me to think about the meaning of baptism, and the most important element of the ritual: water.
It’s also the main theme in today’s Scripture passage. By crossing the red sea, the people of Israel experienced a collective baptism. They may have not been made wet by walking through the sea on dry ground as the story is told. But their exodus experience is an ultimate reminder of who they are and who God is, just like our baptism is our ultimate reminder. The God of liberation sets us free from any bondages or oppressions. The God of love accepts us and celebrates us just as we are. So, when we say, ‘remember your baptism’, we invite each other to reclaim our core identity without any labels attached. We are born of God. Each of us is an expression of God’s love.
As soon as they crossed the red sea, a prophet appears. The prophet Miriam leads all the women, dancing with tambourines, and singing praise to God. Notice how Miriam is introduced in the most crucial moment for the community of Israel. She is not introduced as so and so’s sister, or so and so’s mother, wife, or daughter. She is a prophet, a leader, and an equal partner of Moses and Aron. God works with and through Miriam like all the other prophets.
What makes this prophet stand out is her relationship with water. Hebrew names in the Bible often are associated with God’s action in the world. We can predict what God is about to do by learning about the meaning of a name. For example, Daniel means God is my judge. So, we can have a hint that someone who has power will be judged by God. There are multiple meanings in the name, Miriam. First, it comes from an Egyptian word meaning beloved. Second, the name links closely with water. Third, it is also associated with bitter. I want us to focus on the second and the third.
Janet Ross, program staff at Centre for Christian Studies told me about how women around teachers and leaders – including mothers, sisters, partners - in ancient Near Eastern stories are commonly named Mary, Miriam, Miryam, and Maya. That’s because the feminine is often represented with water and experience of consciousness and transformation. When women and wells show up in stories, we know there is going to be a partnership soon following.
Miriam and all the women, after crossing the red sea, are at the front dancing and singing. It’s not just a one-time event. Their ritual signifies a new covenant relationship with God. Going back to the old system under the Pharaoh is a way of death no matter how safe it may look. Traveling in the wilderness is a way of life, no matter how challenging it is. For, God journeys with them. Their job is to choose life everywhere and all the time. And Miriam takes the lead.
Not surprisingly, the first thing they experience in the wilderness is the lack of clean water. They found water only to realize that it was bitter. Here we encounter another meaning behind the name: bitter. Bitter in Hebrew is connected with tears, which is really holy water. Tears are a sign of strength. We cleanse our souls by crying out to God. We express the depth and width of our feelings with the gift of tears. The bitter water represents all the hardship the Israelites were going through in the wilderness.
And Miriam knows the bitter water well. Later in the story, In Numbers 12, Miriam raises a question about God’s fairness. Her challenge is not so much about God’s authority as human leadership. She says, Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also? Her voice represents all voices from the margins, whose basic needs have been ignored and whose voices have been silenced. Miriam knows well how water can be both bitter and sweet with ever changing life circumstances.
So, back to our Miriam. I think it’s not a coincidence that someone named you after the prophet. You are beloved. The Holy Mystery is pleased with you. The love you have found or the love that has found you is so powerful that it can change everyone’s life, and so spacious that it can embrace all. Nothing is missing, lacking, or broken in the realm of such love. You are following the long tradition of prophets who have carried the gift of water - the gift of life for their communities! Today we join God in celebrating the gift that you are. May you always experience not just tiny little bit of water but abundant water that will carry you through.