The UN-Shopping List - Part 2

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are.  Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them.  Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”  But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God.  “O Lord!” he said.  “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand?  Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’?  Turn away from your fierce anger.  Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people!  Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven.  And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”  So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.  Exodus 32:9-14 (NLT)

This week we are creating an “UN-Shopping List” – things we should throw out of our life’s shopping basket.  Yesterday we threw out “unbelief” or “weak faith”.

Today the text identifies quickly an item everyone ought to take care to eliminate from their basket….stubbornness and rebelliousness. 

Stiffnecked is the King James word!  Boy, God doesn’t pull any punches! 

That word appropriately describes these people.  They were supernaturally delivered   (they had been slaves for 400 years, so they didn't have weapons or expertise in warfare, yet they triumphed over the best trained and equipped army of Pharaoh.  Egypt's best troops were slaughtered, and the children of Israel didn't suffer so much as a hangnail! 

Supernatural deliverance, and all they can do is bellyache! 

As a preteen I said "up" whenever Dad said "down."  One time when we were out for a drive we were coming to our favorite "dip" in the road.  We boys always considered it fun to close our eyes and have our hearts leap into our throats when Dad went over that dip.  I hadn't been paying attention, so I didn't know we were near that part of the road.  Dad spoke to my brother and me over his shoulder, "Close your eyes, boys."  I asked, "Why?"  Dad said, "Just do it, you'll be real surprised." 

"I don't want to."  "Do it, Russell."  (When he said "Russell" I was close to the edge). 

"Do I have to?"  It was days later before I stopped arguing.  Needless to say, I missed the surprise. 

Stiffnecked. 

Are you that way with God's will? 

Has God spoken to your heart about some things, but all you'll do is turn a deaf ear? 

Has He asked you to make Him your priority, but you've got other fish to fry? 

Are you stiffnecked about the Lord's tithe, the Lord's Day?  Have you been stiffnecked about the Lord's “Lordship” in your life?                                                                               

For You Today:

Stubbornness?  Toss it out of your new years’ basket!