I Want It NOW!

In the original Willy Wonka movie, Baruca was one of the spoiled children. When the tour brought the group to the room with the geese that laid golden eggs, she told her dad very emphatically, "I want it NOW!"

I think Baruca and her dad ended up in the chute with the bad eggs.

Does that reflect our prayers?

We want God to take away the trials NOW!

We want God to take away the temptations NOW!

We want God to bless us NOW!

In Exodus 23, God is instructing the Israelites about conquering the Promised Land. He promises to send the Angel of the LORD before them to lead them (v  20-21). He promises to send hornets before them to drive out the enemies (v 28).

God promises to lead and fight for the Israelites.

But He also promises that it won't be a quick fight.

"I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land" (v 29-30).

God could have sent a fire, an angel, a disease, or any number of ways to wipe out the enemies instantly.

But He chose to drive them out slowly, so that Israel would be able to increase in population and be able to possess the land. Those who had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years were not capable to take over the work required to care for the land. They weren't skilled or strong enough. They didn't have enough man-power.

This parallels our spiritual growth, too.

We would like God to keep us from falling into the same sin over and over again.

God does promise that He will fight for us (1 Cor 10:13). He does promise victory over temptation.

But it may be a slow process.

His goal is not simply that we would have victory over temptation. He has so much more to teach us about Himself and ourselves.

And that takes time.

God's Grace in Restoration

In Leviticus 8 the account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood is recorded.

They were set apart. Special garments were placed on Aaron as high priest. Anointed with oil. Animal sacrifices. Blood on the altar. Blood on the right ear lobes, right thumbs and right big toes.

All this was to signify the importance and uniqueness of this ministry.

It's a familiar account.

But this is the same Aaron, who, less than a few months earlier at the foot of the same mountain where this ordination was taking place, made the golden calf (Exodus 32).

He called the people to give him their gold. He fashioned it into a calf and said, "Here are your gods that brought you out of Egypt!"

And now he's being set apart as THE high priest over all of Israel? The primary connection between God and His people was leading them in idolatry a few months earlier?

Really?

What was God thinking? Didn't Aaron need to go through some kind of ministry rehab?

Start him back down at the bottom of the totem pole until he proved himself faithful in small tasks?

I suppose by now, some of you have started to think of a New Testament parallel.

Peter denied that he knew Christ in the hours before the crucifixion.

Not once. But three times.

After the resurrection and before the ascension of Christ, Jesus came to Peter and commanded him, "Feed My sheep."

Not once. But three times.

And we see in Acts, which continues the account less than two months after the crucifixion, that Peter is the leader in the church. 

He's the one who stands up and explains what is happening on the day of Pentecost. 

He's the one who preaches and gets thrown in jail. 

He's the one who heals a lame man. 

He's the one who stands before the Jews and says, "We must obey God rather than man."

Aren't those two men, Aaron and Peter, amazing accounts of God's grace at restoring to ministry?

They still made mistakes after getting back into the saddle. But God didn't leave them on the bleachers because of their horrific sins.

He picked them up and used them for His glory.

And He can do the same with those of us who have fallen. 

"Fallen" is not the end of the story.

Random Thoughts about Giving

Giving seems to be the theme of the month in different studies and Scripture reading. Perhaps it's an area in which I can grow...no, it IS an area in which I can grow!

Here are some random thoughts about giving pulled from various places:

1. God blesses generous people.

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor (Prov 22:9).

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done (Prov 19:17).

2. Biblical generosity involves sacrifice.

The Macedonian churches gave "out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints" (2 Cor 8:2-4).

3. Biblical generosity is thoughtful, voluntary, and worshipful.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).

4. Giving is commanded.

"On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made (1 Cor 16:2).

5. While meeting the needs of our family is commanded, laying up wealth (building equity, a large retirement fund, big house, new boat, trendy clothing, extravagant vacations, etc.) is described as a snare to spiritual growth.

"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim 5:8).

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Tim 6:6-8).

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Tim 6:17).

6. Caring for the physical needs of the disadvantaged is an act of worship.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction..." (James 1:27).

7. Our earthly possessions reveal our spirituality.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:19-21).

So, what's the application that you need to be working on?

Do you stop and think about how you could be giving that money rather than spending it?

I've got some work to do, how about you?