The Bible Recap Day 31

 The Bible Recap Day 31

Exodus 4-6

God Shot: Just a little Patience


For most of my life I have been told, I have believed, and I have repeated that the nature of God in the Old Testament seems different than the God of the New Testament. It just seems like the God of the Old Testament seems a lot more wrathful. I have to be honest, this morning as the scriptures were being read I had more questions than I did God Shots. My biggest one is, “Did God appear more visibly or more audibly to people in the Old Testament than he does today”? I mean, if that is true I can understand why he is more wrathful in the OT. When my dad came up to me, looked me in the eye,  and told me to do something I had better do it. If I didn’t there was going to be a wrathful father. But after I grew up we did not see each other that much and he “hoped” I would do the right thing. When I didn’t, he was more disappointed than wrathful. Is that the same between the OT God and the NT God?


My God shot comes from this same train of thought. God, spoke through a burning bush to Moses and told him what to do. All Moses did was give this burning bush reasons why he couldn’t. Seriously man, it is a burning bush...  a bush on fire and not burning up... talking to you... turning your shepherd staff into snakes... giving you leprosy and then taking it away... DO WHAT IT TELLS YOU. How many times can you find an excuse to not do what God tells you? God was not the wrathful God that I think of when I think OT God. (Although turning my shepherds staff into a snake seems pretty mean to me) Every time Moses gave an excuse as to why he couldn't, God gave a way he was going to see him through. 


God’s patience in this passage is just a small reminder to me that the wrathful God I have in my head is just that, in my head. He showed those who loved him and followed him this amazing patience and even compassion. He listened to their fears and helped them find a way through them. As we continue to read I know that Moses and his people continue to go to God over and over and over and over and over complaining or making excuses. Yet, God still follows through and loves on them. I’m telling you, when I asked my kids to do something several times and all they did was make excuses as to why they couldn’t or shouldn’t have to I became a wrathful dad. But God is so much more than that. His patience with us is unreal and I am so thankful.


God, Thank you for not being human and treating us like we treat others. Thank you for your patience. Allow me to hear your voice more. Allow me to rest in your forgiveness and patience and not in how I would treat me. Thank you for my friends who are going through this with me. May you give us all something new to see as we travel through your word. May we not only become more knowledgeable, but may we become more wise. It is in your patience with us that I pray these things. A-men

 

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