Our Golden Calf

Today's story is probably going to be a little hard to swallow for some. That's because they have not taken the time to read the Bible or to worship God by going to church. This lesson is for those who THINK they know God, but whose actions tell a different story.

Did you watch The Ten Comnandments the other night? Much of it is taken from the Book of Exodus. The movie, although it is based on God's Word, does tend to stray from the truth from time to time. Still there  are many lessons worthy of remembering. Like when Moses went up on the mountain to get the ten commandments.

While Moses was gone, the people "corrupted themselves." They thought they knew God but they still made a new god to worship - a golden calf. This angered The Lord and He killed many in the camp for their disobedience.

But then read this:

"²⁵Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, ²⁶and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." - Exodus 23:25-26

That is, IF you worship the Lord.

I see Facebook posts from some of the youth group kids that I used to shepherd. I must not have done a very good job. I read complaints about miscarriages with boyfriends or the inability to conceive amongst them. We need to have a talk. But they are too busy.

God tells us about what He will do IF we worship Him. Do these complaining kids go to worship? No. Well.....

None of us are immune to sin. We keep repeating our same old practices.

"Will I see you at church on Sunday?"

"Nope. We're going up north."

"Don't they have churches up there?"

"Uhh . . . <silence>."

We're all the same. We worship the gods of convenience and schedules. And yet we wonder why things don't go the way we want them to. Hmm.

"But I believe in God. Why won't He let me have a baby?"

"Have you read the Bible?"

"No. Not all of it."

"Well . . ."

I'm not saying that we all will live perfectly wonderful lives if we read His Word. Jesus Himself said, "In this life you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

All I am saying is that it will be better if we read the Bible and apply God's teaching and commands to our lives than if we don't.

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." - Revelation 1:3