A Taste of Horseradish

I’m not a big fan of spicy things. And yes, I’ve travelled to Asia several times and genuinely love Thai food, but I always ask for the mild version. My husband on the other hand, recently ate a “roulette sushi” which contained the highest rated pepper oil on the Scoville scale! It was a memorable event to say the least.

Nonetheless, at the end of our staff prayer and worship time on August 25, something peculiar happened to me. I had the distinct taste of horseradish in my mouth. (And no, I did not mix it in with my cereal that morning. ) Oddly enough, I could taste it and almost smell it! I knew exactly what the flavor was in my mouth. I had the impression I was supposed to figure out what it meant, as it seemed that God was wanting to tell me something.

I sauntered over to Pastor Mike Freeman, our resident scholar on all things Hebrew. I had a vague recollection of horseradish being involved in the Seder dinner, which we hosted during one Easter celebration. And actually, as I thought about it, my son flexed his tween muscles that year and shoved a big spoonful of it in his mouth, which created another memorable moment for all of us; like father, like son.

Mike Freeman said that it was indeed part of the Seder dinner. It represented the cries of the Israelites during their slavery in Egypt. And yes, if young boys ate too much of it during Seder, they would cry as well! The connection instantly clicked in my mind as God was already impressing upon me this event in history.

The Israelites cried out to the Lord because their pain was great in Egypt and they wanted Him to deliver them:

“23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Exodus 2:23-25, ESV)

That’s when God called Moses to be a part of His plan to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. God had mercy on them because He heard their cries and groans for rescue. That to me has always been the quintessential picture of intercession. The Israelites had a history of knowing God’s character and knew that He heard their cries and that He was a God of mercy and grace, even sparing the family of Noah. They cried out to Him as their Deliverer instead of putting their hope in finding a political deliverer.

So what did the horseradish mean to me? I took it as God’s nudging to be an intercessor. To be someone who cries out for others and our own nation, putting my hope in the Lord and not in any human system.

This is the season to PRAY, more than ACT. I am a firm proponent of doing, not just hearing (James 1:22-25). AND I believe that we are in an unusual time where fervent prayer, especially intercession, is going to make an eternal difference for many souls. Will you join with me in putting your hope in the Lord and not in any political agenda or system? He is the Deliverer who hears our cries.