Meditation on Miriam

My pastor put together a sermon series on interesting women in the Bible. Here's the meditation on Miriam that I wrote for our electronic newsletter:

When I sat down to write this meditation on Miriam, I came face to face with the realization that I don't remember much about her. I remembered a song of praise and thanksgiving, but that's not exactly a singular experience. We could do a whole sermon series on songs of praise and thanksgiving and have enough material for more than a season.

I read the Bible passage for this week's worship, Numbers 12, and I began to remember a bit more. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron, those two great leaders that won freedom for the Jews enslaved in Egypt. I did a Google search--Miriam was the older sister. For a brief moment, I wondered what it would be like to be the older sister to Moses and Aaron. I thought about the parents, what it must be like to have these three children with such very different gifts. My Google search reminded me that all three siblings are equally valued in the Jewish tradition. My memories of childhood Sunday School include Moses and Aaron, but not a word about Miriam.

What a lost opportunity! Imagine a Sunday School that talks about prophetic gifts and includes Miriam. Imagine a Sunday School that trains children to listen for God's voice, to proclaim God's voice, to speak truth to the various people in power, just as Miriam did.

Numbers 12 reminds us that we must be careful with how we speak that truth. In this passage, Miriam faces punishment for the way that she criticized Moses and his treatment of his wife. The passage doesn't tell us much about why Aaron and Miriam criticized; I see a hint of jealousy, but I may be overlaying my sibling narrative onto a Biblical text. Still, they criticize, which makes God angry and critical, and they are punished.

I'm impressed with Moses, who goes to God to plead their case. I like the story that gives us a framework for restorative justice. Miriam isn't struck dead or defiled forever. She can rejoin the community after some time of isolation.

In fact, Miriam continues to hold a place of importance in the community. Just as Moses comes to be associated with food for people in a wilderness wandering time, Miriam is associated with wells and water. When she dies, the community has no water for a time.

We can hear the echo of Miriam through the ages when we see Jesus at the well, speaking to the Samaritan woman, one of the longest conversations that Jesus has with anyone. He offers her living water that doesn't come from a well, and she asks where she can get this water. One of our sacraments, baptism, uses water as a witness to the power of God working in the world.

During this time of many challenges, let us remember what Miriam celebrated after safe passage through the sea. Let us remember the power of God when it comes to earthly tyrants. Let us remember the promise that Miriam sings, that we will have sanctuary from all of our oppressors.