Do you find faithfulness to our Heavenly Father easy? Or, is faith easily forgotten when challenges arise?
In Exodus 32, the Israelites find out exactly how strong their faith is when Moses disappears on a mountaintop for way-too-long.
Back at the camp, the reckless refugees impatiently await his return. Can you image their thoughts? Can you hear their low whispers?
“He’s been gone an awful long time, do you think something happened?”
“Maybe he doesn’t really care, maybe, he’s never coming back.”
“If God couldn’t keep Moses out of harm’s way, what are we doing following him around the wilderness?”
The puzzled pilgrims speculated themselves into spiritual death by turning to what they’d seen done in Egypt.
Their captors had impressive images of gods. “That’s what we need!”
Forget that God the creator had beaten the Egyptian’s gods.
Forget that God the Maker had drowned the pursuing enemies in the Red Sea.
Forget the idols had never bested God.
The Israelites needed comfort of someone, something familiar. They were desperate for something they could see, as others had crafted before.
Something they might trust as others had trusted.
Something they might believe as others had endorsed.
Enslaved for all their lives, they had grown up along the Egyptians, seeing the pagan worship practice and hearing the chilling chants, smelling the smoldering sacrifices to the golden gods.
They knew what needed to happen, so they thought.
Although maybe like me, you want to shout through the pages of history and point out their glaring error… until we relate all too well.
When waiting on God, do I always wait patiently?
When stranded in the wilderness where God seems silent do I simply sit?
Or do I search for a familiar comfort? Do I turn to something I’ve seen work for others? Trusted by others? Endorsed by others?
Do I allow my fear and frustration to overcome my faith?
Do I, like the Israelites, grow impatient and reach to a solution of my own making?
Although the Israelites had escaped the Egyptians captivity thanks to God, when troubled frustration set into their hearts, they bound themselves to gleaming gods which would blind them to God’s character. They turned their backs on their professed faith and embraced the beliefs and rituals of the former captors.
How easily we too might embrace the actions and attitudes of the world when we feel forgotten or abandoned by God.
We might even try alternative courses of life if we imagine it might just work.
And we wouldn’t be alone.
Thankfully, our heavenly Father freely forgives and readily returns to our sides when invited.
Although we might momentarily forget our faith, He is always and forever faithful.