February 12, 2019
Exodus 34:1 - 35:9, Matthew 27:15-31, Psalm 33:12-22, Proverbs 9:1-6
Think back to childhood and one of those major times you messed up. You disobeyed... fell short beyond belief. Even in the not-so-major mess ups the same parental phrases pop in my head (maybe you heard them too) "This hurts me more than you." "I'm doing this because I love you." "One day when you're a parent, you will understand." As children we didn't understand the discipline that we received from our parents. Now as parents or grown ups, we do.
The children of Israel were right in the middle of one of their major, major mess-ups. Yesterday we read about the golden calf; an idol built by Aaron and the Hebrews. We have already seen God's wrath many, many times in the last few weeks and in many ways I read yesterday and shake my head in awe of Gods mercy. I kept picturing the scene in "The Ten Commandments" with Charlton Heston when there was the crazy party going on at the base of the mountain while Moses is in true connection with God. We read yesterday that there was punishment... great consequences for many...death.
In the wake of all this that just unfolded, we read Exodus 34. New tablets are being made, but more importantly, the character of God is being revealed in ways we still cling on to today. Exodus 34:6-7, " The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;" God is Father. His children rebelled and disobeyed in ways we read as crazy and hard to understand! Foolish people!! You just lived through Exodus! Plagues! Freedom! Crossing a dry sea! Pillars of Fire! Food from heaven! And yet you choose and make other idols? You forget about the God, the Father, the Almighty Deliverer?
How about going through that replacing the "you" to "me/I?" I see the same fingerprints of God in my life everyday. I see his mercy and blessings everyday. I have not physically crossed a dry sea, but I have been through enough that equal a Red Sea. I know the cross and understand the cost it was to be there. Yet daily I turn my face from God. Not intentionally, but His glory is not my priority. My daily messiness is the same of the Hebrew people on so many levels. I'm deserving of death too. But I read Exodus 34 and Psalm 145 knowing that God is gracious. Slow to Anger. Rich in Love. Good to all. I also know that there are consequences and discipline. I also know that it should and could be worse. But we have hope in the promises of God. Just as we see his mercy on the Hebrews of Exodus, we see His mercy on the people of today. On the me. And you. Because of God's true compassion and love, there was the cross. Our New Testament reading are coming to it.
Be encouraged but also be still in the incomprehensible truth of who God is.
Attached is one of my favorite artists, Shane and Shane and their song, "Psalm 145."
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