The Children of Israel ...
If you've read anything about them in the Old Testament of the Bible, then you've quickly caught on to how fickle they could be. One day they were praising God. The next doubting Him. He delivered them out of Egypt. He parted the Red Sea, and they walked across on dry land. He turned bitter waters sweet. Yet, they complained and grumbled. He sent manna from Heaven, but they wanted meat. So God sent quail as well as bread. God provided and continued to provide, and how did the Children of Israel respond? When Moses was delayed coming down from the Mountain of God, they made a golden calf and worshipped it.
Throughout the Old Testament you see the back and forth, the ebb and flow of the Children of Israel. They trust and find God faithful, and they celebrate His goodness. Yet it seems that they just as easily forget and doubt. Despite their selfish and shortsighted behavior, God suffers long with them. Time and again, He shows mercy on the Children of Israel.
As a Christian, I've often read through these passages of scripture and wondered how The Children of Israel could have been so faithless in spite of all God had done for them. There were times when they flat out rebelled. There were times when they acted as if God no longer existed and panicked. Even after all He had done for them, they doubted that God was for them.
Yes, I have wondered, but the thing is, I do the same thing. God has shown Himself faithful in my life time and again, yet, I doubt. I let fear wash over me. I think "it" will never happen. I may not be melting down all my jewlery to make a golden calf, but I turn my fear, worry, and doubt into an idol.
I was driving home from work this afternoon, and I waswhining praying. It was the same book, chapter 452 ... it's a long book ... you know the typical, "When and Why?" storyline. That's when I realized I was having a "Children of Israel Moment". I've seen God's faithfulness. I know His goodness, but I was doubting. And rest assured this isn't the first time. Like I said before "Chapter 452".
But here's the thing, it can all be turned around in a second. With just a simple prayer of trust and repentance, I am right back in a place of believing God. He doesn't condemn me. He doesn't rake me over the coals. He doesn't remind me of all my doubts and fears. He just welcomes me back where I belong with open arms. I'm not saying I'll never have another "moment", but I know this, the love of my Jesus far outweighs all of my past, present, and future "moments" combined.
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:13-14
Throughout the Old Testament you see the back and forth, the ebb and flow of the Children of Israel. They trust and find God faithful, and they celebrate His goodness. Yet it seems that they just as easily forget and doubt. Despite their selfish and shortsighted behavior, God suffers long with them. Time and again, He shows mercy on the Children of Israel.
As a Christian, I've often read through these passages of scripture and wondered how The Children of Israel could have been so faithless in spite of all God had done for them. There were times when they flat out rebelled. There were times when they acted as if God no longer existed and panicked. Even after all He had done for them, they doubted that God was for them.
Yes, I have wondered, but the thing is, I do the same thing. God has shown Himself faithful in my life time and again, yet, I doubt. I let fear wash over me. I think "it" will never happen. I may not be melting down all my jewlery to make a golden calf, but I turn my fear, worry, and doubt into an idol.
I was driving home from work this afternoon, and I was
But here's the thing, it can all be turned around in a second. With just a simple prayer of trust and repentance, I am right back in a place of believing God. He doesn't condemn me. He doesn't rake me over the coals. He doesn't remind me of all my doubts and fears. He just welcomes me back where I belong with open arms. I'm not saying I'll never have another "moment", but I know this, the love of my Jesus far outweighs all of my past, present, and future "moments" combined.
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:13-14
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