Theme of the Week: Exodus
Bible Verse: “He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, ‘these are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt’” Exodus 32:4
Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-35
I’m not making this up for the sake of this devotion. I legitimately have a terrible memory. Short-term and long-term, there are things I should remember that I don’t. Whether they are significant moments or just random daily events, some things lack staying power in the accounts of my memory bank. It’s a rather unfortunate problem for my spouse and two young sons. I want to remember much about their growing years and our life together, but some things don’t stick.
Thank goodness my wife is memory prone. Not only does she remember things that I don’t or can’t, her love of memories leads her to take pictures—the perfect medicine for what ails me.
Bad memories can lead to all kinds of problems. Israel has had a collectively bad, or at least short, memory.
Not long after God brought them out of slavery in Egypt, they seemed to have forgotten just securing their freedom. It seems impossible given the events that led to their freedom: plagues, the parting of a sea into dry land, and the crushing defeat of a mighty army. But it seems they did indeed forget.
When Moses took “too long” coming back down the mountain, the mountain that they had seen God descend upon with thunder, lightning, smoke, and the sound of trumpets (see Exodus 20:18), they asked for other gods to go before them.
While seeing the power of God, they wanted something else. Moses wasn’t there, and the God he spoke for was dangerous (20:18-20). Israel wanted something they could see, something they could relate to. They had forgotten the incredible power and wonders that were performed. Perhaps they were just scared and wanted something more tame. Maybe they stopped talking to each other about the wonderful things that had just happened. I want to suggest that was part of the problem. When they no longer spoke about the incredible deeds of God, they began to forget about them.
I want to think that because that can happen to us too. When we don’t talk about God, who He is, and what He has done, we begin to forget. It becomes less clear, concrete, and important, and our attention begins to focus elsewhere.
We must continue to talk about what God has done for us. Not only does it serve as a witness to others, but it helps us keep focused on the God who delivered us. If we continually talk about the salvation God has brought into our lives, we will not be able to forget, and we won’t allow something other than God into our hearts and lives.
Prayer: God of salvation, the news of your deeds must be spread far and wide. I confess that there are times when I don’t talk about you. I do not want to forget you or allow something else to take the place that belongs to you. Amen.
Reflection: When was the last time you talked about God? To whom did you speak, and what did you say?
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