Once upon a time there were two children aged 6 and 9 who constantly had to be told to tidy up after themselves. Ok, so this wasn’t really that long ago (more like Thursday) and I’m the harried mother in this story who can’t for the life of her understand why I have to repeat myself several times before the living room is tidied up. This era of lockdown (we are on day 6752) and homeschooling means the living room is not only the classroom but it’s also the music room and the field for PE lessons as well as the playroom where my 6 year old plays pretend café and my 9 year old sets up a battle field with his toys. You get the picture. Life is easier the next day if everything has been tidied away and put in its proper place the day before. Otherwise, someone will inevitably be in tears because they can’t find something they need for their 9am lesson like their whiteboard pen or someone is upset because they forgot to charge their laptop overnight and now live lessons are about to start.
Yet, at the end of everyday without fail I will have to repeatedly tell them to tidy up. Emphasis on the repeatedly. To be fair, it’s not because they don’t want to do it but I guess in doing it, they get distracted and start playing and amidst all the giggles and rough housing, the tidying up is forgotten. This scenario plays out daily in my house and every time I think this is perhaps a little bit like how God must have felt having to deal with the people of Israel. He often had to repeat Himself to His “stiff-necked (stubborn and rebellious)” children (Exodus 32:9, AMP). They were notorious for being hard of hearing and doing the things God warned them against.
Once upon a time…
…some months after the Lord had powerfully delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, an interesting thing happened. To put it in context, this was after the Lord had parted the Red Sea and they walked through on dry land but their enemies perished (Exodus 14), after water came out of a rock when they were thirsty (Exodus 17), after they had heard the Lord speak to Moses out of a thick cloud (Exodus 19:9), after the ten commandments had been given on Mount Sinai by the Lord His mere presence causing fire and earthquake and even after the people had affirmed their covenant with God (Exodus 24). Well, after all this, it happened that Moses was up on the mountain receiving “…the stone tablets with the law and the commandments which I have written for their instruction” (Exodus 24:12, AMP) when the children of Israel grew tired of waiting for him to come down and decided to make a new god for themselves “to go before us…” (Exodus 32:1).
Whenever I get to this point in the story, I facepalm. It’s understandable how they may have thought that Moses could be dead up on the mountain – no one else was allowed up the mountain so they had no way of knowing his fate – but their thinking and the way “they quickly turned aside” (Exodus 32:8) shows a complete lack of faith in God. The God who had declared them as His people and had showed Himself strong many times over and might I add, the God who was still raining manna down six times a week whether Moses was dead or not.
But then how many times have I reacted the same way whenever things appear to be going wrong or answers to prayers are delayed? I know I’m not alone in this – a lot of us modern-day Christians are still sometimes “stiff-necked” (the AMP bible describes this as stubborn and rebellious). Our human frailties makes it so easy for us to stray and sin. Knowing this makes me so grateful that we no longer need an earthly high priest to offer up sacrifices for us. Can you just imagine the number of rams, bulls and other animals and offerings we would need daily?
Once upon a time ago, Jesus died for us…once and for all
“…nor did He [enter into the heavenly sanctuary to] offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer over and over since the foundation of the world; but now once for all at the consummation of the ages He has appeared and been publicly manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” Hebrews 9:26 (AMP).
Glory to God, Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect and His ministry is continual for us in heaven, interceding for us constantly at the right hand of God (Hebrews 7:25, AMP and Romans 8:34, AMP).
#Jesus sacrifice was perfect once and for all. Join us today at #FMF as we free-write on the word prompt ONCE. Share on XThis post was originally written for Five Minute Friday but may also be linked up at these places.
(Image credit: Katie Harp from Unsplash)
Yes, I read the story of the Israelites and think it’s crazy that they were so quick to stop trusting God, but then I realise I can be just the same! I’m grateful that Jesus’ death sorted things out once and for all!
I as well wonder about that in Exodus. They have just witnessed the most amazing miracles and know already have their backs turned. I also wonder about the state of children’s bedrooms to! Your neighbour at no 6 🙂
The state of children’s rooms – that will forever have mums stumped! 😀 And yeah it’s amazing how quickly they turned their backs on God.
I like how you the constant reminders to your children reminded you of how God must have felt about the Israelites. I wonder how He fells about us too when we act up or forget His faithfulness.
Great minds! I went the “once upon a time” route also!!!
Virtual hi-five! 🙂
I looked up the amount of animals sacrificed and it was in the millions.
Wow, I can’t even imagine that many animals.
Funny comment:
Speaking of homeschooling in quarantine, I’ve described my son’s PE routine as a prisonyard workout. His teacher gives him these assignments knowing he may be performing them in the 8×8 space of his cell… I mean bedroom. =)
Serious comment:
I was just talking to a friend about this very passage in Exodus. What struck me recently as I was reading through Exodus was that they made a golden calf. Where did they get all that gold in the desert? Flip back a few chapters to discover that GOD TOLD THEM TO TAKE GOLD FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS!!! Come on, Israelites, you’re better than that! And, yet, it’s convicting because I’m sure when I turn away from God, I am missing the obvious ways that He had provided for me too.
Amie, FMF #34
Lol! It does feel a bit like a prisonyard workout at times especially as it’s been snowing over here lately and so we’ve been doing everything indoors. And yeah about Exodus – it’s mindboggling that God told them to take the gold and then they turn around and use the same gold to make a god for themselves (facepalm). I’m sure I do ridiculous things like this also and I’m so grateful for His grace and mercy.
I often wonder (especially on my stressed-out parent or stressed-out teacher days) how God has the patience to put up with us making the same mistakes over and over and asking the same questions over and over. We are a needy bunch, aren’t we?
I love how you manage to find reminders of Jesus, even in the messiness of a well-loved living room
Yup, we are. Thanking God for being so patient.
The number of animals that would have to be sacrificed on a daily… Wow!!! Thank God indeed that is not the case today!!! In your comparison, it’s evident too how we’re reminded to be patient with others as God is patient with us. Thanks for sharing! FMF#45
God bless you during this unending season with everybody-on-top-of-everyone-else. May He give you huge helpings of patience and perspective, humor and gentleness in what is a very difficult season for families in the four walls of their house.
;-}
Amen! Thanks for the prayer Linda, it’s much needed 🙂
Reading the description of your multifunctional living room made me smile. Seriously though, I like the way you compare your need to constantly remind your children to pick up, to how God must have felt about the Israelites. I am so grateful that he is “longsuffering” (one of my favorite KJV words) and never gives up on us.
Visiting from #5
“Longsuffering” – that is the perfect adjective for God. He’s amazingly patient and i’m ever so grateful for that attribute of His.
I also ponder on the Israelite’s actions after they witnessed all of God’s miraculous handiwork. But then I am reminded of “stiff necked self. Thankfully, God’s mercies and grace never end.
Wonderful post, Wemi. I’ve wondered at the Israelites’ unbelief, and how I would have responded if I had been one of them. And I’ve also wondered, mostly in earlier parenting days, why it’s so hard for a kid to remember to tidy up after herself. (Then one who was usually pretty good at it comes home from college for Christmas and starts leaving a trail of stuff wherever she goes!) 🙂