GOING FURTHER WITH GOD

The Israelites learned to be faithful to God the hard way; through their mistakes and infidelity to Him. Once they made a calf in Horeb to worship in place of God (cf Exodus 32:7-14). They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock. They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt. God's wrath almost destroyed them if it were not for Moses’ plea for mercy and God's favor to His people.  So the Lord relented in the punishment which He had threatened to inflict on his people  because God so loved the world (John 3:16). They experienced God's mercy and love the hard way. Consequently, that made them cautious not to transgress the Lord, lest they endanger again their status as God's chosen people and receive His wrath.

Pastor Rick Warren said that God's love is like an ocean: You can see its beginning but not its end. For us to experience that love fully, we have to leave the shore, cut the tie of our sail and venture into the unknown. With trust in God, everything will just be fine. It might not be an easy ride but it will surely be worth it. We might be tempted to stay in the security of the shore and not dare to entertain anything that may change the status quo nor try new things for fear that we may transgress the Lord. When Christ brought the message of the love of God to the Jewish people, they held Him in no esteem for He seemed to be a threat to their religion (cf John 5:31-47). Though all testimony they had gathered from John is true, they still denied that He is the Son of God. The wonders He had made in their midst were concrete testimony of His divinity. As they read the books of the prophets, they would realize Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies. They did not accept Him, for they held fast to the beliefs Moses handed over to them. But they were mistaken, not knowing that Christ is the fulfillment of Moses’ instructions. Can we blame the Jews for not believing in Christ? The words and miracles of Christ surely moved many of them, but others held some reservations. They were afraid to offend the God of Moses, Isaac, and Jacob. Their excess fear of God caused their failure to grow in their faith to be more trusting in the Lord rather than relying on themselves again. 

Faith in God empowers us to know Him further, to experience His love further, in ways beyond our imagination. Do not be afraid of the new things God presents to us. Without us knowing, these new things may be the fulfillment of the promises of God in our life which we all long for.