Topic: Who Won’t Latch On This Opportunity?
Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Read: Exodus 32:9-14
Exodus 32:9-14 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
MEMORISE: Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation (Exodus 32:10).
EXPOSITION:
The great and gracious God had graciously elected Israel as His o special people (Exod. 19:3). They however grew to become continually and recalcitrantly ungrateful and stiff-necked, despite all that the Lord had graciously done for them bringing them out of the land of slavery and leading them to the Promised Land (Exod. 32:9). They had offended their Deliverer and Defender, maximally. God was so pained by their foolishness. Just imagine how offended you would be, if someone you so love disappoints you so sheepishly/foolishly and repeatedly.
God was so grieved that He wanted to extirpate them. He made this known to Moses, His friend, with the promise to make the latter a great nation in place of the always ever-complaining, insatiable Israelites (Exod. 32:10). Any other person could have latched on such a promise Make me great in that manner? What a once-in-lifetime opportunity! Imagine what would have become of Moses had it been that he allowed himself to be made into a great nation. However, what do you think would have become of the Israelites (cf. Exod. 32:11ff)? Wouldn’t it have been selfishness on Moses part, had he consented to this lofty divine offer?
Moses response to this divine proposal is a challenge to us (v. II 13). Instead of thanking God for the offer like anyone of us would have done, he chose to intercede for the erring people, so that God would continue to shower His mercy on them. This shows Moses level of selflessness. Would you have done that if you had such an opportunity
Don’t you think it was God’s way of testing Moses himself his genuine love for the people he was called to lead, and the level or extent of the sacrifice he could make for those people of God he was privileged to lead? Dear devout, you are receiving the same challenge today God expects that you won’t be selfish in leading everyone He commits to your care at home, in church, in your workplace, in the society, and everywhere else. Receive the grace not to fall Him, in Jesus name. Amen.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, purge me of every trace of selfishness as lead Your people committed to my care, in Jesus name.
2 Lord, forgive me at every juncture I have prioritised my interest at the detriment of those You have given me to lead.
3. Lord, help our leaders at all levels to prioritise the interests of the led, the way Your want it.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Genesis 11-13
Author: Christ Apostolic Church [Worldwide]
