They told Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!' That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made. But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile' beyond Babylon.'"

Thoughts for Today:

Have you ever woken up one day and wondered how you got here ("exile beyond Babylon")? Wondered how your life got so out of control, so far away from being Christ-centered? It can be an embarrassing and humiliating experience; and it can happen to all of us. How did it happen? The answer (the same as for the Israelites) -- one step at a time, one rejection of Jesus after another, until finally -- "God turned away, and gave them over to the worship of heavenly bodies."

 What is the "worship of heavenly bodies"? It is the worship of the creation rather than the creator. (An example of this is a friend of mine who revels in the beauty of nature, yet doesn't believe in divine design.) The final stage of this process is when, "they held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made." In our present time, it is explaining the origin of our planet and life through the "big bang" and "evolution" theories, then teaching it in our schools as fact. In other words, it is worshipping our own intellect (wisdom and knowledge).

Do we lose our salvation when we find ourselves spiritually far from God? Did the Israelites stop being God's people because they began to worship other Gods? Did they lose their inheritance? Thankfully the answer is no.
They were still God's people, and their descendants received the inheritance -- because of God's faithfulness, despite their lack of faithfulness. The same is true for us.

Questions to Ponder:

When you find yourself spiritually far from God, how do you get back? The Bible tells us repeatedly -- the answer is to repent (which means to change your mind or thought). It is so easy to slip away. But it is just as easy to return. What will your choice be today?

"This is that Moses who told the Israelites, 'God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.' He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us. But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt."


Thoughts for Today:

Stephen now uses Moses' well known messianic statement, "God will send you a prophet like me" to indicate that Jesus was and is the fulfillment of this prophecy. He also, (once again) points to the rebellious and stubborn nature of the Israelites (identified as their "fathers" or ancestors), "But our fathers refused to obey him."

However, it's not just the "refusal to obey" that's the problem; the real issue is a heart issue -- "their hearts turned back to Egypt." We can relate to this. I have often heard men say, "I don't know why I am attracted to women like that, I always get hurt"; or, "I don't know why I gamble, I lose so much money that I put my family at risk and then I have to work my way out of a financial hole." The examples go on and on.

 Why indeed do we exhibit such self-destructive tendencies? Why would the Israelites want to go back to Egypt -- back into captivity? Modern psychology focuses on the understanding of the "why" of our self-destructive nature, as if that alone -- enlightenment -- would solve our problems. For example: "I over-eat because my mother always made me finish eating everything on my plate." If enlightenment was the key, then the solution would be simple, pile less food on the plate -- you could then finish everything without eating too much. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Enlightenment does not equal freedom; and understanding rarely leads to change.

Paul explains this to us in great detail in Romans 7:1-25 -- in summary: the Law Moses brought from Mount Sinai (verse 38 of our passage), had only the power to identify what was sin -- it did not have the power to change our nature or our heart. Such is the case with secular psychology; it only helps to identify the problem. Paul also tells us that the Law is spiritual, yet without Christ we are unspiritual. The Bible tells us that Christ is the key; He is the answer to our heart issues and self destructive tendencies.

"Wait a minute," you say. "I am a Christian, yet I still want to do things I know are wrong!" Paul relates to our plight in Romans 7:24, "What a wretched man am I. Who will rescue me from this body of death?" He gives us the answer in verse 25, "Thanks be to God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord." We who are in Christ no longer have to sin; we are human so we will still have the urge to sin; our joy is we don't have to give in to it any longer.

The key to succeeding in this process we all experience is in the word "reject" from our passage today. When the Israelites rejected Moses their hearts turned toward Egypt. Moses represents Jesus, and Egypt represents the world. So for you and I, the only way that sin takes hold of us and we return or turn to worldly ways -- is when we reject Jesus.


Questions to Ponder:

The next time you have the urge to "Return to Egypt," in other words -- do something you know is wrong -- ask Jesus to deliver you from yourself. Not from your heart, because when Jesus died He bought your heart, but from your head and your poor choices. Sin and temptation no longer have the power to control us. Will you accept the power over sin you have in Jesus? What can you do today to experience a renewal of your mind?

"'Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.' This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert."


Thoughts for Today:

As Stephen recounts the story of Moses to the Sanhedrin, he uses these words of God to Moses, "Now come, I will send you back to Egypt." I just absolutely love that statement! God had just finished telling Moses how he had seen the oppression of His people, heard their groaning, and was going to come down to set them free and make things right. Moses must have been thinking how fun it will be to be a spectator to this event -- he must have been shocked when God told him, "I will send you back to Egypt."

Isn't that just like us? We want God to get in there and fix our problem (right the injustice and deliver the innocent). But isn't that just like God to say, "Okay -- come on -- right now -- let's do it -- hmmm….who will I send? -- oh yeah -- I'll send you!" That's usually not what we have in mind when we ask for God's intercession. We want God to do it and leave us on the sideline to watch.

 In our previous devotion I related the story of a father, who with the Lord's help, rescued his children from certain death. What do you think the outcome of that story would have been if following his prayer for the Lord's intercession, he would have escaped out a window and while standing on the curb, watched to see if the Lord would save his children? The children probably would have perished.

God raises "deliverers" during times of need. Why? I believe it is because God makes himself known -- less from the miracle than through the testimony and life of the one who accepts God's call. Moses accepted God's call, and the Israelites were led out of captivity as a result.


Questions to Ponder: 

In what area of your life are you asking for God to intercede? When (not if) He asks you, "Now come, I will send you," how will you answer?

Do you bedlieve God sees your need?

I read a story recently about a man who awoke in the middle of the night to smoke so thick in his home he could hardly breathe. It was the night following the Christmas program at his church -- his parents had attended so they spent the night -- and fire had erupted as a result of candles that were accidentally left burning. As he made his way, stumbling and coughing down the hall to his three children's room, He prayed "Lord, if it be your will, let us survive the night." Just before he was overcome by the smoke and heat, a man grabbed his arm -- who he thought was his father -- and guided him to each of the three children's rooms. All escaped with their lives including his parents. As the story was recounted to the firefighters (who were amazed that anyone had survived considering the intensity of the blaze), his father denied helping him save the children. His parents explained they had been staying in the guest room on the first! floor and had been unable to make it up the stairs due to the flames. The firefighters thought it must have been an "unsung hero," perhaps a neighbor, who upon seeing the smoke had entered the house. The man was convinced it was an angel.

What do you think? Do you think God sees your need (the fire); hears your groaning (save my family); then comes down to set you free (grabs you by the arm and guides you to safety)? The answers to those questions will tell you a lot about what you believe and expect of God.

Questions to Ponder:

How "real" is God to you? Do you think God cares about you and your life in a tangible way? Most of us would like to think that God would "come down" or send an angel to help us if our lives were on the line, but what about regular stuff? I know a woman who has health problems yet refuses to get a handicap sticker (she thinks others have greater needs than hers). Instead when she goes to the store, she always prays for a parking spot close to the front -- I have never been with her when the Lord has failed to answer her prayer. Maybe the reason God isn't answering your prayers is because you aren't praying. That's what "groaning" is - praying. How can you begin to see God as real and present each and every day of your life?

How Do You Recognize God?

'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look."

Thoughts for Today:

God doesn't have an identity problem -- He knows who He is. The problem is: Do we know who He is? Because what He represents to us in our lives (not as some nebulous principle), is how we will define Him to our friends, families, business associates, etc. Do we respect Him? Are we in awe of Him? Do we fear Him?

I think it's funny how the world defines God: God is love (as if that's all He is -- all warm and cuddles -- does that mean He stops loving as in a divorce?); God is in the smile of a child (what about when the child frowns or misbehaves -- is God still there or does He leave?); God is in nature (what they're talking about is a flower or a waterfall -- but what about a flood or a hurricane that cost hundreds of lives and millions of dollars -- is God in that part of nature as well?). Describing God in those terms only reveals how much you don't know about God. It's like someone saying they know you -- when they've only seen you in the distance, or defining your profession and all of your ability by a bird cage you built when you were 5 years old. It's ridiculous.

Here's what God tells Moses about Himself: "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." What do you think was God's point in that statement? I think He's reminding Moses, "I have written an autobiography about myself -- remember what I've said and what I've done throughout history -- then you know something about Me and will be ready to understand the meaning and intent of this personal experience."

I believe God speaks to us all the time through personal "burning bushes." The problem is: We don't recognize who He is because we aren't familiar with Him. When my son Joe played football -- from the distance of the stands, I could recognize him when he ran on the field (without seeing the number on his jersey). Why? Because I'm familiar with him and I know a lot about him. I know how he runs; I know how he stands; I know what position he plays; I know how tall he is; I know what style of helmet and face mask he wears. But my friends may not be able to recognize him. Why? -- Because they don't know Joe as well as I do.

Questions to Ponder:

How well do you know God? Can you name 5 things God says about Himself? 10? How about 20? In Scripture, God has described Himself to us in great detail. How can you recognize or understand God's meaning in an experience if you are unfamiliar with who He says He is? What can you do today to begin to know God better?

What Does it Take to Get Your Attention

appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice…." Thoughts for Today: Moses had spent 40 years in the desert during his period of self-imposed exile. Now the Lord decided it was time to get Moses attention -- to place him back in service. Notice the sequence of Moses' experience: he saw the burning bush, he was amazed at the sight, and he went over to look more closely. Many times when we are in our own desert, we don't hear the Lord's voice because we are too consumed with our own thoughts -- so the Lord needs to get out attention. In Moses' case it was a burning bush -- something ordinary (a bush), that became extraordinary. It was amazing to him (after all it's not every day you see a burning bush in the middle of the desert), so he went over to check it out (the Lord got his attention). Watch what came next: "he heard the Lord's voice." Once the Lord had Moses' attention -- Moses then heard the Lord's voice. This is a really important point to me. Many people think the key to this story is the burning bush (the miracle); I think the more important point is that God is always speaking to us -- it's just sometimes He needs to use rather dramatic means to get our attention so we hear him. When I am watching a sporting event on television, my wife believes the house could be on fire, and it wouldn't be until the heat melted the remote control that it would get my attention. We men certainly have the ability to concentrate (my positive spin on her critique), and block out all distractions. Unfortunately, this same ability to insulate ourselves can also hurt us when God is trying to talk to us. Questions to Ponder: How does God get your attention? Does the house have to burn down? Sometimes the life changing events we experience (loss of a job, health issue, financial setback, family problem, etc.) are only necessary because we haven't been listening to God -- we've blocked Him out. Are you at all blocking God out of your life? Does He currently have your attention? What is He trying to tell you?

The Desert of Self Exile and Punishment

Have you ever wondered what Moses was thinking about over those 40 years? 40 years is half a lifetime, and the years we're talking about typically represent a man's most productive years, yet Moses remained in the desert. Look at where Moses had been, he was the son (adopted) of Pharaoh's daughter, who had killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew worker -- and he had run away -- fearing for his life.

We know in our time the privilege and leniency displayed to those who have position and power. Egypt was no exception. Had Moses been willing to go back to Pharaoh's household (with a reasonable explanation of the circumstances), chances are pretty good his life would have gone back to normal. But Moses had answered the call of God (though in the wrong way), and he knew that he could never go back to his old life. Yet he also thought he had wasted or misunderstood his purpose -- the one God had given him.

So what did Moses do? He imposed upon himself self-exile (he went to a foreign land and took a foreign wife -- verse 29), and began his time of self punishment. When you self-exile yourself and are consumed with self-punishment and regret -- do you hear God? I don't think so -- I certainly don't. If you are focused on yourself you can't see God, you only see yourself -- and in most cases, you won't like what you see.

Questions to Ponder:

If you were Moses friend, had been with him from the good times to the bad times, what advice would you give him when he was in the desert? What would you tell him to do in order to get back in the game? Have you ever felt that you just needed to be punished for something you did or didn't do? Have you taken it upon yourself the responsibility to punish, instead of leaving it to God? Is it time to stop? What can you do to bring your self-exile to an end?