The children of Israel get a bad wrap for a misguided but good intention.
They had left a land of gods and goddesses. The way you worshiped these false beings was with a man-made idol.
They had crossed the Red Sea. Moses was up on the mountain. And they wanted to thank Y(a)HWH(e)Y for the miracle.
So they built a calf with their melted down jewelry. (Exodus 32) Good intentioned? Yes. But so wrong. They shaped God to fit their needs.
I have needs. So do you. They can confuse our journey. This series will explore the false ways I try to get to God.
False way we try to get to God #1
If I don’t “feel” right I should “do” something.
Don’t rush past what doesn’t feel right.
- Let awareness of the feeling sink in. You might be digging a well that will fuel future life changing action.
- OR You may have a loss that needs to be grieved. The children of Israel had lost the false security of Egypt. They hadn’t clung to the security in Yahweh. They were at the place of the dark in-between.
You will hit the dark in-between as you seek Christ. There will be a moment when you let go of the past and all you build your identity around. Before you cling to Christ you will face a moment of definition. Grieve the loss of your past security. Then turn your gaze to Christ and worship as you resist the desire to build another false idol.
Had Aaron been a healthy leader in Exodus 32 he would’ve called for the pause button. Instead, feeling the pressure of the crowd he gave them false comfort.
As a seeker of Christ, don’t rush past the feeling. Take stock of it. As a leader of others, don’t let the need for others to be comforted to cause you to give them something false.
Is there anywhere in life you don’t “feel” right?
You said a mouthful in this line;
“As a leader of others, don’t let the need for others to be comforted to cause you to give them something false.”
Reminds me of Elimilech making a decision to lead his family to Moab to get some food… wait… can this go beyond even comfort and apply to an actual, physical need? (He asks sheepishly).
Whoa. Heavy point. Hmmm, for me, yes.
I always wonder about my threshold of compromise. How far would I trust God to supply for my family before I would feel the need to step in and take action.
When we compromise, we rob ourselves and God of the opportunity to see His miraculous provision.
That’s a line I don’t want to figure out. But the compromise point is spot on.
After reading this I sat back and pondered. I so know how it feels to step in and take over when I think god isn’t working fast enough or feel the ever encompassing fear of my family not having what they need. It is a tough spot to be in, knowing when God expects you to move or to wait on Him. Question Chris= How can you really know when to act and when to just wait????
Karen,
I am sure that Chris will supply a much better answer than what I will muster, but thought I would weigh in on your question.
I will use the example of Elimilech. His desire to take care of his family was correct and even biblically mandated. However, he chose to disobey God in the manner in which he would provide for his family when he chose to take them to Moab (God had given clear direction not to do so).
I believe we always have to seek God’s will… sometimes we already have clear direction from scripture. For example, is it ok to steal food to feed your starving family?
We have other resources that can help us in those decisions:
-> the indwelling Holy Spirit
-> Prayer
-> Community
Even with the four resources listed above, there are times that we will struggle with knowing God’s will in all situations.
Sometimes I start by asking the question, how do my actions/decisions in this situation bring Glory to God? By using the 4 resources listed above to answer this question, I have a better chance of knowing which way to go.
I don’t know if that helped or confused.
Tony – great response. And I agree with everything you said.
Sometimes when we’re in the pressure cooker and need to make a quick decision I use this filter:
Am I taking this action for them out of peace? or Anxiety/worry/fear?
God leads me through peace in His Spirit. The anxiety/worry/fear clouds my ability to act wisely. If I feel those I invite Jesus to bring hope and comfort. Then if I peace I move forward. Make sense?
Peace!