The lectionary this week gives us the passage in Exodus that tells of the wavering loyalty of the people who have been rescued. Because they cannot trust the Lord or the leader that the Lord has provided for them, they want to concoct their own god. In reaction, the Lord tell Moses, "I am angry enough with them to eliminate them altogether." Moses implored the Lord to continue to love and care for these people. The Lord changed his mind about the destruction planned for them.
The lectionary response to this passage is parts of Psalm 106. The psalm begins with a call to praise and a list of reasons why praise is appropriate. The Lord is good. The Lord continues to love us. This thankfulness is followed by the reminder that we are supposed to be good and loving also--and that our doing so will make us happy. Yet, we have not always done what we should have done; we have sinned.
They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. What do we exchange the glory of God for?
Verses 19-23 recount a specific sin, the one described in this week's lesson from Exodus. They made a graven image to substitute for God, whom they had forgotten. God said he would destroy them, but Moses intervened.
How do we forget God? What do we substitute for God in our attention, our loyalty, our trust? What do we expect God to do when we turn to other sources of protection and guidance? Who intervenes for us?
Then, turn all those questions to be about people around you who have not been showing that much loyalty to God? Does it occur to us to intervene on their behalf by asking God's forgiveness for them?
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