Reading: Exodus 32:7-14
The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them, and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.” But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. Reflection There are a couple of times in the Old Testament where humans “bargain” with God. This is one of those instances. God is going to bring great punishment to the Israelites because they made the golden calf while Moses was up on Mount Sinai. God wants to consume them and let God’s wrath burn hot against them. But Moses reminds God of God’s promises. Moses asks God to change God’s mind. That took some courage and boldness, don’t you think? But God did change course. I wonder if this is like those times as a parent where I think of the most extreme punishment. I know I will not do that to my children, but I want them to know I mean business. They might bargain with me, and we come to a compromise. My point is made, they learn a lesson, and we move on. Maybe that is what God is doing here. God wants to make sure that Moses and the Israelites will not dishonor God again with another idol. God comes across more loving and understanding and I bet earns Moses’ respect. A point is made, and they all move on. I think God reveals to us here that God’s love is so big that no matter how much we might mess things up, God doesn’t want to bring disaster upon us. God wants to be right relationship with us, just like I want to be in right relationship with my children. And God will take steps to make sure that happens—just look to the cross and see what God did for us! --Chad Hershberger Prayer God of love, continue to be near us and guide our ways. When we have doubt, help us to feel confidence. When we feel down, lift our spirits. Help us to live in the good of the love of Jesus every day. Amen.
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