She was chained like a slave to fear . . . afraid of riding on the horse merry-go-round; afraid of the dark; afraid of the clothes in the closet that might move; afraid her parents would die. How old do you think she was?

He was chained like a slave to loneliness . . . longing to be friends with the boys who were good at sports; longing to wear the latest clothes; longing to be noticed by the girls, longing to be known as a smart student, longing to have a best friend. Instead, he was locked out, embarrassed, bullied, and shunned. How old do you think he was?

They were chained like slaves to hopelessness . . . desperate to escape the daily beatings; desperate to escape from a dangerous neighborhood; desperate to escape an immoral society; desperate to find a new homeland. Where do you think they lived?

If you have ever experienced such bondage, learn about the feast of Shavout on June 4. You may never be the same again. You could feel the chains fall off . . . What does “Shavout” mean?

Scripture: Leviticus 23:15-17; Deuteronomy 16:9-12; Exodus 23:14-17; Acts 2:1-4

“Mountain Birthday” preached by Pastor John McGhee on June 4th, 2016 at the Mount Vernon Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mount Vernon, Washington

Photo by gerrit-worldwide.de