Scripture reading for today: Exodus 32; Psalm 100 and 101

 “We will do everything the Lord commanded.” (Exodus 24:3 NLT) and “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” (Exodus 24:7 NLT) 

“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:1 NLT)

How could they? In just seven chapters—how quickly they forgot!  I hope you’re feeling empathy, because just last night I was asking myself, “How could I?”  I have a hunch that if we’re honest, we can all relate to the Israelites and to me.

    Our intentions are sincerely good. Our follow through is, well, pathetic. Sometimes I get confused and think being forgetful means I don’t believe. I’m glad I have friends who remind me that forgetfulness of God and inadequate follow-through does not equal unbelief. It makes us human.

   Sometimes our shame becomes an excuse for quitting. My friend Mike is always encouraging me not to give up five minutes before my miracle. He’s got it right. “Coming to believe” can help us understand that there is a God, and we are not Him. So let’s set our shame aside and just acknowledge the truth; we’re human. But that’s not the key truth. The key truth is that God is God. Let’s spend this month focusing on that!

.. . . for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.  Philippians 2:13 NIV

We can get off our high horses and acknowledge this true belief: God will do the work in us and God will enable us to act according to his good purpose. If we will but believe, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Not because we are able, but because He is! 

But it is complicated.  This is not the same thing as buying a pretty pair of ruby red slippers and clicking our heels together.  More on coming to believe in the days ahead…

Daily Devotion: Northstar Community Blog