A “through the bible” devotion from Exodus 32.
The room was filled with random conversations as students continued to shuffle into the lecture hall and find a seat. Most were looking at their phones, a few unfolded laptops, and others pulled lunch sandwiches from takeout boxes. Some were laughing. One had his hood-covered head down on the desk, eyes closed. Many scrolled through emails and social media.
After about ten minutes, when no professor or teaching assistant had arrived, each student packed up their stuff and left. No one was upset or concerned as they wandered off to do something else.
Not long into the exodus from Egypt, the question on everyone’s mind is, “Where’s Moses?” He went up the mountain to talk to God in the cloud, but “we don’t know what has become of him” (Exodus 32:1). The people quickly assume, “I guess we’re going to need some new gods.” Everyone pitches in some jewelry, Aaron makes a calf of gold, similar to a Canaanite god, and they create their own religious ritual and festivities.
It’s hard to believe the nation of Israel so quickly goes off the rails. But not if you ask yourself, “What’s my backup plan” when God takes too long to answer prayer? Or when I lose confidence in his presence, provision, or protection? What cultural gods take his place?
Everyone’s got a golden calf of some kind. We all hedge our bets. Work harder. Get a second opinion. Eat comfort food. Go shopping. Ask for a prescription. Quit.
And that’s after about forty minutes. Moses was up on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
None of those things are necessarily bad. But why not, as Air1 Radio puts it, “Worship through it?”
After Aaron makes the golden calf, the people “got up early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings;” and the people “sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to engage in lewd behavior” (Exodus 32:6).
Why not enter his gates with thanksgiving, offer up a sacrifice of praise, and wait to see what God’s going to do next? Why not approach his throne of grace, where we find grace? Why not keep our eyes on Jesus?
Having a rough day? Bored? Stressed? Restless? Sounds like an opportunity for worship.
Waite for it... 