The next few posts are from a 5 part devotional series I shared with our Kingdom Builder's team at church (before we transitioned it more to a community). It's pulling and tracing the thread found in the story of Israel and the exodus. While I'm posting these, I'm pulling at a thread that kept coming up as I've been reading the bible this past year and will hopefully be able to make a thread of posts (yes I said thread again) after this 5 part series.

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (2) So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” (3) So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. (4) And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Exodus 32:1-4

Israel was living in God’s miraculous provision. They had been miraculously freed from slavery. Miraculously given great riches. Miraculously rescued from their enemies’ armies. Miraculously led by God Himself as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night right in front of their eyes. But even though they experienced all these miracles, even though they witnessed God’s presence amongst them, they were so quick to worship and desire God’s miracles instead of God Himself.

Because as we think about this journey Israel has been on, we need to remember where the people got the gold to make this idol calf. They were for slaves for 400 years, but when leaving into freedom were given gold, silver and jewellery by the Egyptians because God had turned their hearts to favour Israel. The scripture phrased it as Israel "plundered the Egyptians", even though the Israelite people actually had done nothing and fought no battle. This same golden jewellery that was given to them by God’s miraculous favour was now being used to make an idol for them to worship instead of God.

As Kingdom Builders, as Christians, we need to remember where everything we have came from. We need to remember that it is through God’s favour and grace that we have what we have. We have the skills to earn money; have the privilege of being in a safe and rich nation (don’t think about that government debt or currency conversion prices, look at the infrastructure we live with everyday and compare it to what we would have if we lived in Afghanistan or Haiti, we are rich!); we have the education to be able to manage our finance well. We have all of this for a purpose, to use it for God’s purpose. 

Let’s not start worshiping God’s provision and miracles instead of worshipping God, prioritising this wealth instead of prioritising God’s plan. Let’s remember where it came from, and thankfully use it for God’s purposes as an act of worship towards Him.