Three Lessons from the Golden Calf
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord
Psalm 27:14
Have you ever had a long wait? Maybe like the one I had today.
What I thought would be a quick, 15-minute appointment turned into three hours with one roadblock after another.
The Israelites could relate.
Exodus 32:1 tells us the Israelites grew tired of waiting on Moses. Those 40 days felt long and difficult. The people became desperate for leadership.
So, they asked Aaron to make some gods who could lead them.
Wait … wasn’t Aaron appointed to lead them? (Well, that’s another subject for another day.)
The people asked Aaron to melt their jewelry down and mold it into an idol: the golden calf. Most likely, the people saw idols like this in Egypt and wanted to give them a try. Aaron should have known better. But he made the golden calf.
Meanwhile, back on the mountain, God gives Moses instructions for Aaron’s priestly garments.
Ironic isn’t it? While God makes plans to anoint Aaron as priest, he leads the people in creating and worshiping an idol.
As I pondered the story, I found some lessons.
Stay close to God during waiting times. Continue to read the Bible, pray and seek Him.
Don’t try to speed up the process. Remember Abraham, Sarah and Ishmael? That didn’t turn out well either.
Remember that God has plans for your life. He’s always working in the background for your good. Would Aaron build an idol if he’d known that God and Moses were talking about him becoming high priest? I’m sure not. We rarely know what good plans God has for our future.
How do you remain strong in times of waiting? We’d love for you to share tips!
Stacy
