Monday, October 16, 2023
Monday, October 16, 2023:
Pause. Pray. Read. Be still. Write. Pray. Go about your day or turn in for the night.
Read: Exodus 32:15-35
Aaron went along to get along. Moses left him in charge while Moses went up Mt. Sinai to meet with God. The Israelites, who credited Moses with their deliverance out of Egypt rather than the Lord, tired of waiting for Moses to return. Their impatience led them to sin by falling back onto their old ways and fashioning a god out of gold to worship.
Moses seeks to intercede and atone for the great sin of the Israelites. Even so, God says there will be consequences.
Be still and Reflect: When anxious or fearful, how well do you wait for the Lord? What situations most entice you to take matters into your own hands?
Pray: O Holy God, who is full of mercy and grace, I confess that too often I can be like Aaron and the Israelites. I tire of waiting for you; I fall back into old habits; or I take matters into my own hands to do what I think is right. Forgive me, Lord, for these self-centered moments in which my pride, prejudices, and earthly passions trip me up and I fall away from keeping my eyes and heart fixed on You. Preserve me from faithless fears, impatience, and impulsiveness. Remind me throughout this day to be still and to wait upon You, the One true God and Lord of all, who loves me eternally and goes before me faithfully. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.