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Writer's pictureOlivia Caldwell

Tambourines & Leprosy


Miriam, the prophetess:



"Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."



And Miriam:


"..Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?"



Miriam, the prophetess, tambourine in hand, leading the women in song and dance out of Egyptian captivity.



And Miriam, with brother Aaron, speaking against brother Moses, whose pitch-daubed basket she once watched through reeds in the Nile. 



"And the LORD heard it." 



A family meeting, called by the LORD Himself:



""Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting."" 



A pillar of cloud and a Father's firm: 



"Hear 


my 


​words." 



God, Mighty Defender:



"Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"



The LORD's cloud lifted and Miriam's face white as snowOnce lit up with joy as she danced forward in freedomNow leprous 



Walking on dry ground in the midst of the Red Sea


She departed 


As the LORD brought the waters back 


Shattering her enemies with His mighty hand



Standing before the tent of meeting shrouded by cloud


He departed


And her face revealed


The devastation and gravity of her sin



The LORD


Holy


Moses' face


Shone


Miriam's face 


Drained



Siblings divided 


Now brothers united


Grieving and pleading for their sister


Shattered by sin 



Moses 


Pleading 


"O God


Please heal her-


Please." 



And Miriam, 


The prophetess, 


Separated in her sin,


Examined by Aaron the priest, 


Pronounced clean,


And not left behind,


But instead,


Brought back in. 



And us,


Blessing our God and Father 


And cursing our brother


Made in the likeness of God


With the same mouth. 


Hearts crusted over with leprosy,


Dancing with death,


Drained of lifeblood


And infected with


Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition.



And Jesus,


The Greater Moses,


Our Brother,


Not only interceding for us,


But giving His very life


And spilling His blood for us


So we are not cast out.


We are not left behind.



Our Great High Priest,


Declaring us clean 


And our sin,


Though once as scarlet,


Now white as snow. 



And this Jesus,


Shattering disorder


And every vile practice,


Redeeming


Even the most hopeless,


Painful,


Irreconcilable of circumstances,


Bringing unity


From the unlikeliest of circumstances,


Like taking what was meant for evil


And turning it for good


And just like Jesus


Reconciling us 


To God


So that


We


Too


May carry out


His ministry of reconciliation. 



Miriam, Numbers 12 



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