Living in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 7, 2014
Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-14
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 for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. — Exodus 32:11-14
Why do people do wrong when they know better? Moses makes an interesting point in his negotiations with God in our scripture today. Moses doesn’t plead for the Israelites for their sake but asked God to essentially “turn the other cheek” because if God does not, it will look to all the world like God is not all powerful. It is scary, if you realize that the whole world judges God by the behavior of those of us who claim to be God’s followers, but it is true. The back story of this scripture is that Moses is basically admitting that we humans are a weak and fickle lot who chase after any and all other gods when at the same time we are being held in the loving arms of the one true God.
The other point in this scripture is also pertinent. Moses reminds God that God promised the descendants of Abraham countless children and land, and I am reminded that Jesus said the meek or gentle shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5) It seems to me that one of the traits of a meek or gentle person would be an understanding of the majesty of God because they are not self-absorbed and also an understanding that all children are God’s children and that the land God has given us for sustenance and to sustain is the whole earth.
We need to live so that others can clearly see the image of God in us and we need to be catalyst for all of God’s children to understand that they are people of worth because they too were created in the image of God.
Oklahoma Fact: In 2013, 11.8% of children were overweight or obese.*
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we turn away from you and hurt others in the process. Heal our souls O God, so that we may be whole and in our wholeness may be the means for healing among others in our world. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.