Wait!

I would prefer to show the golden calf at the base of Mount Sinai, but Moses destroyed it. The picture above is the charging bull statue on Wall Street in Man Hattan, New York.

Moses rescued the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt by saying to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: Let my people go so that they may worship me” (Exodus 8:1). The Pharaoh didn’t know the Lord or care what He said. The Israelites had been in Egypt more than 400 years (ten generations) and had not been able to worship the Lord all those years. When Moses went up on the mountain to talk with God, the people grew tired of waiting. After forty days and nights, they asked Aaron to make gods. Maybe they were gods they could relate to, gods they had seen in Egypt. He collected all their gold and crafted a golden calf. Israel worshiped the calf and performed things detestable to God. God had written the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, and He said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt” (Exodus 32:7). Moses went down Mount Sinai. He saw the calf and the dancing. Anger rose in him and he threw down the tablets God had written on. The Golden Calf shows how impatience can lead to idolatry. We may think that we don’t worship golden images, but have we grown impatient and chosen our ways of self gratification over waiting for the Lord? I can testify that playing god is exhausting, and it led me down a path of destruction.

Three Benefits of Waiting

• Waiting focuses our attention. “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning” (Psalm 130:5-6). Watchmen watch diligently from the tower to be able to see any enemies coming near their city in an attack. They are focused all the more as daylight approaches.
• Waiting develops character. “We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character hope” (Romans 5:3-4). This is a Scripture I need to write on my heart, because I don’t suffer well. I want to get through the waiting to the hope – quickly.
• Waiting causes surrender. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). God cares more about who I am becoming than where I am going. I am amazed how gentle and patient He is with my impatience and frustration. I am also amazed when I consider how my life has changed the more I have surrendered to God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for grace, patience and gentleness to lead me along your paths. Thank you for the peace and hope I discover in the surrender. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Finally Home

Joseph, Jacob’s son, endured the rejection of his brothers, slavery in Egypt and imprisonment, but God used his suffering to empower him to govern Egypt. Even though he was sold into slavery, he did honorable work and gained the respect of Potiphar, his boss. Through false accusations Joseph spent many years in prison, but again he was honorable and became assistant to the warden. When no one could interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams, he learned that a man in the dungeon, Joseph, could interpret dreams. Quickly he was brought to the king and asked to interpret the dreams. He said he could not, but God would give him the answers he wanted. Joseph said of the dreams that Egypt would have seven years of prosperity but seven years of famine would follow. During the good years, Joseph recommended that extra grain be stored for the years of famine. Pharaoh trusted no one more than Joseph and put him in charge of the grain collection in the first seven years and the distribution of food during the famine.

Joseph Prophesied About the Exodus

Before Joseph died at 110 he said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (Genesis 50:24-25).

Four hundred years passed and the Pharaoh at that time did not know anything about Joseph. The Israelites had grown into a great nation in Egypt, and the Pharaoh made slaves of them to build cities like Ramses. God heard the cries of his people and sent Moses to rescue them from hard labor.

Finally Home

All the years Israel was in Egypt, God’s people could not worship Him. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me'” (Exodus 8:1). The king was not easily convinced, but when he finally let Israel go, Joseph’s bones were carried back to Canaan. Imagine! All those forty years in the wilderness someone was responsible for Joseph’s bones! And he was finally laid to rest with his fathers in Shechem.

Joseph’s last will and testament made me think of what I want to happen when I die. To be honest, it doesn’t matter to me where they put my bones. What I care about is crossing the Jordan on that day into Paradise to be with the Lord. My longings to see Jesus Face to face will be accomplished, and I will serve in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayer

Holy Lord, merciful Father, King of the universe, guide us safely through the wilderness of this world and home to be with You. May our days on earth be acceptable in your sight and may we hear you say, “Well done!” In Jesus’ name, Amen.