“Believing an Invisible God” Pt 1 of 2:
The Christian faith is simply that – a life of following God based on faith. We can live our whole lives and not hear His audible voice, feel his physical touch, or see his physical presence. But we know that we know He exists and is real. When the Israelites were led out of Egypt they couldn’t see a physical God, but they saw his presence as a cloud guided them by day and pillar of fire by night.
On their journey to the Promised Land, Moses was summoned to a mountain top to meet with God leaving the Israelites at the foot of the mountain with Aaron. Impatience set in among the people and word spread Moses wasn’t coming back as he was gone longer than expected. What happened next is what often happens to us when it appears God is working too slowly or it’s perceived, he’s not working at all.
The Israelites convinced Aaron to build a golden calf for them to worship (Exodus 32). Even though they had seen the invisible God in action, Israel still wanted the familiar gods they could see and shape into whatever image they desired. Do you at times become impatient and take things out of God’s hands because he’s moving too slowly, or think he needs help?
Our great temptation is to shape God to our liking, to make him convenient to obey or ignore. The gods we create blind us to the love our loving God wants to shower upon us. God cannot work in us when we elevate anyone or anything above him. Is there anything in your life that consumes your thoughts and activities that prevent the true God from living in or through you?
In Exodus 33 the Lord told Moses to “Leave this place, you, and the people you brought out of Egypt, and go to the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will send an angel before you, but I will not go with you because you are a ‘stiff-necked people’ and I might destroy you on the way” (vs 1-3).
In our moments of distraction, we can forget about or purposely ignore the Lord’s presence. We often forget His eternal promise to never leave us. Are you leaning on and trusting God’s promises today? (Pt 2 tomorrow).
Pastor Carnes
