The Marvel comic book character, Hulk, is often quoted as saying, "Puny humans." This is usually after he has smashed a few cars, destroyed a couple tanks, and withstood a barrage of bullets and missiles. I was reminded of this fictional character as I studied for our small group lessons the past couple of weeks.
Our study has focused on the twists and turns taken by the fledgling nation of Israel during their exodus from Egypt. Last week saw the shaping of the golden calf in the desert during Moses' first trip to Mt. Sinai. When Moses spent some extra time there with God. the Israelites decided to take matters into their own hands and melted their gold down in order to make an image of a golden calf. (Exodus 32 ESV)
Why would they so quickly forget all of the recent miracles God had performed specifically for their benefit- plagues, pillars of fire, manna, part of the Red Sea? I think one key lies in the first verse of Exodus 32. "When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
"The man who." Their focus had become on the Moses. They had hitched their wagon to a person. A puny human. Moses was just an instrument of God. Moses was a tool used by the Master Carpenter, but the people credited Moses when it was Jehovah-jireh who had rescued them.
It is harmful, to take credit for our successes. It is just as harmful to credit others with our success or the success of an organization or endeavor. Hosea Bilyeu was not responsible for Ridgecrest's growth. David Martin was not responsible for a successful career in education. Billy Graham was not the reason untold tens of thousands accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.
In verse 11, Moses reminds us that it is God who works in our lives: "whom you (God) have brought
out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand." Exodus 31:11 ESV
God is responsible for our success. All the degrees, all the bank accounts, all the accolades, all the rescues are a direct result of God's intervention and involvement in our lives. From the simple act of drawing a breath of air, to crafting a successful business, it is God to makes it all possible. How arrogant, how disrespectful to think we are capable of anything on our own.
Each day should be filled with thanks. Gratitude should be our mantra. Man destroys. God builds. Man sins. God redeems.
We become like the stiff-necked Israelites when we attribute to man what God has done. In effect we construct our own golden calf.
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