Yeah, this one's long. Don't give up! lol
once again, by Janet L. Folger
Moses and the Whiners
Even the very people who had witnessed God part the Red Sea lost track of who God is. They got tired of waitng for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai, so they melted their jewelry and made a cow to worship. Brilliant move.
"Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."
Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." (Exodus 32:1-4)
Talk about a slap in God's face! He was the one who rescued them from slavery; He parted the Red Sea for these people, led them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and dropped their meals down to them from the sky. And how did they show their appreciation? They worshiped a stupid handmade cow to "thank it" for delievering them out of Egypt. God was the one who gave them the jewelry they used to make a cow in the fist place--plunder from Egyptians, remember?
If I were God, I would have wiped them off the face of the earth.
But God didn't. He spared their lives.
How did they thank Him for saving them again? They grumbled and complained: "We're hungry!" "We're tired!" "Are we there yet?" Just like the family road trip. They were sick of eating manna burgers and thought that building bricks in Egypt looked better than what they were going through in the wilderness. I guess the grass is always greener--even when it comes to slavery.
We're alot like the Israelites. How many people do you know who whine about not being married--only to get married and whine about the person they married? Many whine until they get a divorce and then whine about being divorced. If you're the one listening to all that whining, it has to get old.
God got sick of it. He told Moses:
How long will these pepole treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they. (Numbers 14:11-12)
But Moses went to bat for the Israelites. He pleaded their case. And that's pretty a pretty tough case to plead--even for a criminal lawyer:
"If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 'The Lord was not able to bring these people inot the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.' Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 'The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished...' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now." The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked." (vs. 15-20)
Because of the prayers of Moses, God changed His mind and spared the Israelites. So why did He listen to Moses? "And the Lord said to Moses, 'I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name" (Exodus 33:17).
What terms are you on with God? He knows your name, but how well do you know His?
You all know the scene at your school cafeteria or favorite campus restaurant. You're sitting eating lunch and people walk past. There are the acquaintances you know from class, but you're not really sure of their names. They get a "Hey! How's it going?" Or "What did you think of that test?" So they know you know what class they're from. Then there are those who names you know, but who generally sit and eat with other people. You say hello and include their name, and maybe even someting about them: "I ran into your brother this morning--he says he needs a ride home." But you aren't offended at all that they're eating with another group. They might even ask to eat with you on occasion, when their close budddies aren't around.
Then, there are your best friends--those in your inner circle. They're the ones who rush to your table, throw down their books and coat with a "You're not gonna believe what happened!" They never ask-- it's a given that they're sitting with you. They wouldn't dream of eating anywhere else. Everyone would know something was wrong if they did.
Here's the question: If Jesus came into your favorite pizza shop for lunch, where would He sit? Are there people around who know Him better? Would you get a smile and a nod as He found His way to His real friends? Maybe a "It was good to see you at Christmas" or "I'm glad everything worked out with that problem you were having."
Or would He come straignt to your table. Would you welcome Him, anxious to thank Him for His latest gift, or to seek out His counsel on a decision you hav to amek?
Jesus would sit at the table with Moses. He was definately in the inner circle. There are some incredible benefits to knwing God like that: If God is pleased with you and knows you by name, He may do the very thing that you ask too.
Prayer has the power to change even the mind of God. Even plans that are already in motion. With Hezekiah, with Nineveh, with Moses, and with you. Think you'll spend more time praying now?
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