Warriors Arise: November 29, 2021
Exodus 20:18-21 (NKJV) Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
This passage breaks my heart. Moese told the people "God has come to test you." Why did God come to test them? Too many times we think God has come to test us to trip us up to cause us to sin, but He is not the one who causes us to sin. He gives us a test run or a pre-test, if you will. He says, "I'm going to give you a pop quiz just to see if you are ready for the real test." Why do teachers give pop quizzes? Maybe it is to catch someone who is sleeping in class or hasn't done their homework; but in all actuality is it because they want the student to get a wake up call. They want the pop quiz to let the student who hasn't been paying attention, or hasn't done their homework to realize they need to study. The teacher wants them to know, you don't know what you need to know in order to achieve your best in this class.
There are times when I thought the pop quiz God gave me was the actual test, but then when the real situation came up, I was ready. I hadn't done so well on the pop quiz, I let irritation lead to frustration, which caused me to say things that didn't need to be said. I apologized, because it was my fault that I had gotten irritated. It was my fault I let it fester to frustration. I was my fault I said things that didn't need to be said. But then, an even greater thing happened and I didn't get frustrated; therefore, I didn't say things out of line. The pop quiz I failed, but the test I passed with flying colors.
God did not want the people to be afraid of Him. He wanted them to join in a relationship with Him. However, they were in fear. They had never seen a god in Egypt who has so much power that it caused thundering, lightning flashing, smoke cover the entire mountain, and a trumpet blast reverberate through their bodies. This God, Moses' God, He was too much. He was too powerful! Remember what He did to the Egyptians. Look what He is capable of. Are these thunderings and flashings of lightning an entrance on to earth or is it the electrical charge in the atmosphere because He is here? Will that electrical charge kill us? No, no, no, we don't want to go up the mountain. We don't even want to be near the mountain. He might kill us.
I wonder if God limits His ability to show up and show off, because we would respond the same way. We would shutter, run and hide in fear. You just don't hear people talking about God showing up like this. I believe most of us would be afraid of God if He revealed Himself to us in this manner. I would like to think that I wouldn't but I don't know because it has yet to happen. It may not be all about the grandeur of God or how He shows up if my heart isn't in the right place. If there is sin in my life, if I know that I am unclean, I may not want to go into the presence of God. I hope I would have my sense about me and repent on the spot. I hope I would still have the understanding that God wants me to join Him. Since He took the time to come to where I am, by coming 99% of the way; I better not allow the sin in my life keep me from going the 1% to be with Him, to hear what He wants to tell me.
Could you imagine? Could you imagine God coming all the way from heaven to meet with you only to have you turn away, because you were afraid of Him. Because you couldn't handle the greatness of all that He is and all that He can do? That would be totally disappointing. He wanted to meet with His people and be celebrated by them but He needed to meet with Moses first.
Sometimes we can walk in self-pitty, causing ourselves to be rejected when others had no intention of rejecting us. We can misinterpret God just like the Children of Israel. How many times has God come to meet with us and we back up, turn our back on Him, or walk away, because He didn't come like we thought He would or when we thought He should? When He comes and how He comes is up to Him.
Father, when You come I want to be able to take in all that You are. I want to be in awe of You. I want my mind to wrap around the amazing love You have for me because You showed up to see me. Your coming 99% of the way is an incredible gesture of love and value upon my life. I want to be ready and able to come the 1% into Your presence. I pray for courage to remain where I am until You call my name, until You call me into Your presence. I want to know You and walk in the fullness of Your amazing love. I want to align my steps with Your's in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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