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DAY 1157: “IS GOD GENTLE LIKE A COW?”
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY:
Paul's comment in our passage today follows the events of Exodus 32: "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.' So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, 'Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.'"
Have you ever wondered why a cow was used to exemplify divinity? Perhaps it was because the cow is gentle, yet powerful. It also provides milk -- and therefore sustenance for its young. This is the problem with idolatry. If we allow anything to represent God, we will at best only be able to develop a partial picture of the nature and glory of the Lord. For example, when we look at God as only being gentle while providing for our needs (like the cow), we lose every other aspect of His character. The danger is we would have no reason to fear Him when our immorality is placed in His presence. The warning of Paul for us today is to not be idolaters. To not allow any author, philosophy, ministry, person, or thing to represent God to us in a way that might limit a critical component of His nature.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Have you allowed your view of God to be represented by someone or something? What idols do you need to bring down in your life? Does your understanding of God contain limitations of His power, glory, or righteous judgment?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.
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