Day 32: How Quickly We Corrupt Ourselves

By Sarai Williams

⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. ⁸ They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

Exodus 32:7-8 (NIV)

The key verses for today are Exodus 32:7-8 but let’s recap for a minute about had taken place prior to this. 

Moses was up the mountain having a good old communion with God.  It was probably one of those snot filled sessions – you know the ones I’m talking about – where you are pouring out to the Master and just enjoying being in the presence of God.  The Lord had recused the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, had led them into the wilderness, and was supplying them with food and drink.  God had just given Moses the two stone tablets, written on which were the Ten Commandments, which the people had accepted.  To onlookers this was a classic fairy tale ending; in fact, if this was a storybook, the author could have written “And they all lived happily ever after” and ended the novel right there.  So off Moses goes, up the mountain, leaving the Israelites in safe hands – with his brother, Aaron, the priest.  Or so he thought. Because no sooner is his back turned…. well we know the rest.

We are reminded of the disciples who  received the invitation from Jesus to become fishers of men and left all to follow Him.  But later after the crucifixion we meet a hopeless, ragtag group of men who have returned to their original occupation as fishermen.  It is as though they were asking the question, “Where is this Jesus fella?”

Doesn’t this remind you of little children?  Leave them alone for 5 minutes and chaos ensues.  But as in the case with the children of Israel, often we too behave like children.  We’re zealous, and faithful one minute, and very quickly, we too corrupt ourselves.  We might not build physical idols, as in Exodus 32, but we make other things our priority; our work, our social lives, our children – we place these things above God, and they become our focus.  In Exodus 20:5, God tells us “He is a jealous God”, He doesn’t want anything to take our attention off him.  He doesn’t want to inhabit only a portion of our lives- He wants it all, and more importantly He deserves it all.

Ask – Why did the Children of Israel turn away from God so quickly?

Seek – What things in our life cause us to corrupt ourselves? What is it in our life that takes up all our attention?

Knock – Pray and reinvite God into the centre of your life. Where God has taken a supporting role, invite him today to be the Director. In the words of Matt Redman, say to God today:

(Upper Photo by prottoy hassan on Unsplash)

(Inner Photo by cottonbro from Pexels)