Moses came off mountain and found that the Israelites had made a golden calf. He asked Aaron, “What in the world is wrong with you”? How could you have allowed this”? Aaron lamely responds, “We just threw the gold into the fire and out pops this golden calf”.
Moses explodes! He breaks the stone tablets to pieces, berates the Israelites, grinds the calf to powder and makes the Israelites drink this “golden cool-aid” and then, on top of all this, orders the Levites to take a sword and kill thousands of those that took part in this idolatry.
Point: God chose Moses and loved Moses—-partly because of this incredible passion for God! The man got mad about the right things!!!
Do I?
Moses saw the immense danger of what they had done and made a big deal about it. Do we at the camp or this church or in our nation?
Have you ever noticed the things that are “BIG” to God, are usually not such a big deal to us?
It was the IDOL that got under Moses’ skin—-i.e. anything that would cause the people to worship or place their trust in anything other than God Almighty. How stupid to worship a golden calf, or a fish (like some people in the promised land did) or a totem pole or anything other than living God! Of course, we also have things that often get our focus off of God, and in my opinion, the gravest danger to worshipping God, the greatest “idol”, is church or camp “work”. Sometimes we equate activity and physical presence with passion and a yearning for Him. We must be careful in Christian camps and church life to not assume that “work” for God becomes a “good” thing that keeps us away from the best thing.
Moses saw the difference between “good things” and the “best thing”. He understood the danger of looking to the wrong things for protection and deliverance and purpose. He properly got really mad when those he loved did something that dishonored or offended God.
Later, after Moses calmed down he asked God to please be patient with the Israelites and to continue to lead and protect them. 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.”
Wow! That passage from Exodus 33:17 astounded me. I will do everything you ask because I am pleased with you and I know you by name! The Israelites were saved because of one man’s holy petition to God. Think about that the next time you intercede in prayer for someone——it might be the prayer that changes the course of history.
I want Him to be pleased with me—-but it’s a decision I must make each day. But because of Jesus interceding for me, I can be sure that He hears me, and because I have received the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus to cover my sins and I have confessed and turned away from sin, He knows my name! Praise be to God—-He knows my name! And if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior —He knows your name as well!
Is He pleased with you and does He know your name? If so, pray boldly and know that He will hear your petitions and give you the desires of your heart
Warmly,
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)
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