only way to the other side is to get wet...

Taylor Lewis Gutherie preached these words Tuesday
at the 219 GA of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

Fresh out of Egypt having just crossed the Red Sea
the Israelites also must have wondered,
"What has God planned?"
Then, Miriam stands up
with a tambourine in hand
and begins to sing.
Her song reminds
the people of their God,
who delivered them from slavery.
It creates a path into
"that unknown wilderness ahead."
For generations,
we in the PC(USA)
have sung that song.
Our baptism binds us
to those first baptisms in the
Jordan River,
and to all baptisms since.

______________________

"Wade in the water.
Wade in the water children.
Wade in the water...
God's gonna trouble the water."

(Harriet Tubman sang this spiritual
as a warning to runaway slaves.
To escaping slaves, the song told
them to abandon the path
and move into the water.
By traveling along the water's edge
or across a body of water,
the slaves would
throw chasing dogs
and their keepers off the scent.
- taken from Owen Sounds' Black History)

The ongoing story
continues to be sung.
The only way to the other
side where God's promise flourishes....
is to stick our toes in the river...
is to wade in the water...
is to get wet!

Let's hold our hands
tightly...
together...
and walk across to the other side.

I will get wet.
You will get wet.

Together we will be
washed and made new...

The old things holding us
down
and
apart
will be washed away.