Author: dianafmurphy@gmail.com

“When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced,‘Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD’ “ (Exodus 32:5).

What?!?!  I read this recently and was stopped in my tracks. As many times as I’ve read this passage about the making of the golden calf I never noticed the fact that Aaron had planned a festival to the LORD.  What was Aaron thinking?  Of course, I don’t know what he was thinking. I have an idea he was trying to appease the people with the golden calf, and at the same time he knew it was wrong.  So he built the altar and announced the festival to the LORD.

Was Aaron trying to use the calf as a symbol for God? Apparently, this is what King Jeroboam tried to do later as the kingdom was divided. King Jeroboam made two golden calves because he feared the people would give their allegiance to King Rehoboam in Judah, if they went back to the temple to worship (1 Kings 12:28-29).

It seems that Aaron and King Jeroboam had personal reasons for the making of the idol. King Jeroboam was trying to save his kingdom.  Aaron may have been trying to save his own skin by adding the altar for a sacrifice and planning a festival to the LORD. After all, the people had stated earlier they would do what God commanded. He had commanded: no idols, no worship of other gods. As their leader Aaron was responsible for the people.  Moses returned and saw the people were out of control and demanded an accounting from Aaron (Exodus 32:21-25).

I can’t help but think there is a lesson for me here.  Do I substitute something in place of God?  No, I haven’t made any golden calves.  Where would I get the gold? Is my worship pleasing to God? Does my life honor Him?  I don’t neglect being in my place on Sunday morning, but I sometimes forget that the rest of my life is to be lived in worship of God. The Apostle Paul tells me in Romans 12 to offer my body as a living sacrifice.  He says “This is your spiritual act of worship.”

As a retiree I’ve become too relaxed with my time management. It’s tempting to think there’s always tomorrow so I’ll put off the task until then. I’m spending more time watching TV than I ever did. How worshipful is that? I’m reading that novel instead of writing my blog.  I’m not saying these things are wrong for me to do. It’s just they sometimes take the place of something better. With God’s help I’m working on it. I need to make a schedule.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord’” (Exodus 10:1-2).

 

God chose Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask for release of the Israelites.  Moses gave excuses and was reluctant to take the job, but God prevailed and Moses along with his brother, Aaron, went to Pharaoh time after time.  Pharaoh refused to let the people go and God sent plagues on the Egyptians.  After the seventh plague God sent Moses back again and told him that He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  Imagine God asking you to do a job and telling you it won’t happen!

We talk about the “patience of Job” but think about how much patience Moses and Aaron must have had to go again and again to Pharaoh, only to have him go back on his word over and over.  I realized as I read this account last week that the passage says numerous times that “Pharaoh hardened his heart” or “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and the hearts of his officials.”

Why did God have Moses work against such opposition? The Scripture above (Exodus 10:1-2) gives us two reasons. First, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that He might perform miraculous signs among them.  Then, they were to tell their children and grandchildren about their experiences. Could it be we go through difficulties in life for the benefit of our children and grandchildren?  Do we share our struggles and victories with our children and grandchildren?  I don’t do this often enough, especially with my grandchildren. Something to think about.

Second, the Lord said, “that you may know that I am the Lord.”  Sometimes I’m so busy with life  I forget it is the Lord who makes it all possible. Then I come up against a “hard-hearted Pharaoh” and I run crying to the Lord for help.  God wants me to know that He is the Lord. He is the One who is in charge and I am not. In Exodus 14 we see Moses crying out to God but God said to get moving. God harden the hearts of the Egyptians and gained the glory through the destruction of Pharaoh and his army.  It is God who desires and deserves the glory.  It is through my struggles God shows His glory. I must obey and continue to trust Him.  He will be glorified.  Will I let Him be glorified in me?

I wrote these paragraphs in my journal August 2015, two months after Wayne’s death. I am reading the same Bible passages this week and wanted to reflect on how far God has brought me since then.

“I’ve been reading in Genesis about Joseph’s disappointing life: being rejected and sold by his brothers, falsely accused of seducing Potipher’s wife and then put in prison, forgotten by the one he asked to remember him.  But God did not forget him.  What a great reminder!  My life has recently brought a great disappointment of not being able to share the rest of my life with Wayne.  He was not able to live in our new house but a short time. Our dreams were dissolved on June 1^st.  But wait! God does not forget. Jesus came to make a way of escape from our sinful condition.  I cannot rely or trust in my dreams but I can rely and trust in God. His promises never fail. They are new every morning.”

“Joseph’s life was restored-he became a powerful ruler in Egypt and was able to save his people, God’s people, the nation of Israel from starvation.  Joseph did not give up on God.  I’m praying I’ll never give up on God even though I can’t see where God is leading me. Some days I feel like I’m in a prison of grief. I can only keep on trusting God to restore me to the place where He can use me for His glory.”

I thank God He has restored me to where I can function much better. I will start teaching a Sunday School class next Sunday at Winifred Road Church of Christ, where I have found a church home.  I know God will never leave me alone even in my worse days.  Sometimes the tears come and trusting is hard.  God is still the solid Rock on which I stand!

“I love you,  O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:1-2).

 

I recently finished reading the book of Job. Job’s troubles certainly seem overwhelming even as I read about them.  Living through those calamities gave Job reason to cry out to God.  I don’t know what it’s like to lose all your children in a day-can’t even imagine it! I don’t know what it’s like to lose good health.  I don’t know what it’s like to lose most of my possessions either. I’ve known of many who’ve lost homes to floods or fires – devastation that must test one’s faith.  But I do know what it’s like to watch my husband suffer with liver disease and eventually die. I live every day with the disappointment of living out my retirement years alone.  I know what it’s like to lose a brother and my mother to cancer.  We all have some kind of trouble and most likely we’ve cried out with laments similar to Job’s.

Something Job says in chapter 9, verses 33-35 makes me glad that I live on this side of the cross. “If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.”

I don’t know if Job knew about the coming Messiah or not, but he did have confidence that he would eventually see his Redeemer.  Look at his words in Job 19:25-27.

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.   How my heart yearns within me!”

I thank God often for His presence with me and for the Great High Priest we have in Jesus. Yes, Job, there is Someone to stand between us and God. There is Someone who took the rod of terror for us! Jesus, our Savior!

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 5:14-16).

We don’t have to suffer through our troubles alone. We have Jesus!  And it’s an extra blessing when we have loving friends beside us.  Thank you, God, for your Son, Jesus and for friends who care.

I don’t want to make it a practice to write about political matters, but this coming week is the Inauguration of President-elect Trump. I believe the United States has been given another chance to do it right.  Without discussing details many, including myself, have been very disturbed these past eight years.  Right is labeled as wrong and wrong labeled as right and the rights of some are taken away because some expect more rights.  Will any of this change just because Mr. Trump becomes President?  I doubt it.   I think the church needs to awaken and stand up for what is right, to live Biblically.  We live in the world but we should not live like the world.

We, who claim to be Christ followers, must pray for our government leaders, our church leaders, and ourselves. We must pray for boldness in the midst of unrighteousness and pray for more Kingdom workers.  The church will triumph. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against it as recorded in Matthew 16:18. At the end of Matthew’s gospel we read that Jesus commanded us to make disciples.  Making changes in our culture requires changes in people.  People need the Lord.

The church is responsible for teaching the truth of God’s Word. The foundation of life, family, and morality is found in the truth of God’s Word.  Too long we’ve tried to build on man’s ideas and it isn’t working.  I believe when God’s people stand on God’s truth we can make a difference.

We read in James 5:13-16:

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

The first question James asks, “Is any one of you in trouble?”  Yes, our country is in trouble, but God is still able and our prayers can be powerful and effective.

Dr. James Dobson says in his January Newsletter, “We also need to be in prayer for our President, his Cabinet, and the Congress, as they seek to reorder our Ship of State. It is listing badly, and only divine intervention can put it back on course.”  Dr. Dobson is right. President Trump and his administration cannot put us back on course without God. Pray often for our government leaders.

The Apostle Paul gives an excellent summary for what we need to do.

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-3).

I enjoy watching the birds come to my feeders.  I can watch them as I have breakfast or lunch and Molly has discovered she can also watch them come and go.  Little do those birds know about the beast that would love to chase them if she had the opportunity.  Little do they know about my pulling the seeds from the sunflowers I grew this past summer.  And of course they know nothing about the money spent to buy more birdseed for them to supplement the sunflower seeds.  They just happily come and eat.

I think I’m sometimes like those birds.  I am busy with life, enjoying my blessings, and acting like I’m doing it myself. Or, unlike the birds, I waste time worrying about something I have no control over, forgetting I should take it to God.  I can’t even take my next breath without God. So easy to forget, isn’t it?

Again, like those birds, unsuspecting of Molly’s desire to chase them away, I am not always aware that Satan is prowling around “like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  I speak a word of gossip, complain about a little hardship, or let a slice of pride sneak into my attitude and the roaring lion pounces, ready to take down my Christian witness.  The Apostle Peter says we must be self-controlled and alert.

Praise God, we have His Spirit within us to help.  John reminds us “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  We also have other Christians to help. We should be encouraging each other as we walk this life together. I received two encouraging letters this past week.  I count it a blessing to have friends who encourage me!  Who can I encourage?

Enjoy the blessings, but watch out for the beast!

“The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him; Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:4-6).

 As this year ends I’m dealing with a heat pump that isn’t working properly.  After numerous calls apparently very little is covered by any warranty.  I want to blame somebody for this mechanical failure, but who?  The builder only guarantees anything for one year.  The installer claims he did what should be done.  FRUSTRATION!  Did I mention the whole situation is very frustrating?

The Apostle John reminded me in his first letter that whoever claims to live in God’s love must walk as Jesus did. I’m sure Jesus wouldn’t spend much time worrying about a heat pump. He would probably get it fixed and move on.  I’m trying to shift my focus from my frustrations to the fact that I’m blessed to have enough savings to cover the repair job.  Thank you, God.

In the meantime, the emergency heat is working and the gas fireplace has enough propane to continue helping to warm my house as needed.  Again, thank you, God.

I look toward this New Year with my motto in mind.

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

God is supplier of all I have. May I never forget that!  He supplies needs, some wants, and especially forgiveness and salvation.  Celebrating Christmas lifts my heart to praise God for providing the greatest gift of all: salvation through the Baby in the manger, the Sacrificial lamb on the cross, and the resurrected Savior from the empty tomb!  It’s a celebration that continues weekly for Christians as we meet together for praise, worship, and participation in communion.  The writer of Hebrews says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).   Let’s remember this in 2017.  Happy New Year!

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1

Last week I attended a Christmas presentation at a nearby church and the story began with the creation of the world.  How appropriate!  Christmas is about the Creator God becoming our Savior God.  Jesus is the Creator and sustainer of the whole universe and yet He wants to save us!  He gave up Heaven and the Presence of God, allowed Himself to be conceived and nurtured in a woman’s womb, and was born into a family of lowly means.  The Creator depended on those He created to care for His needs, to provide for His safety and teach, train, and nurture Him through childhood.

What’s really amazing is that God had this planned before the creation of the world!

     “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”    Ephesians 1:4-6

I read these verses this morning and was reminded again of how much God wants us in His family.  Even before He made the first man and woman God had a plan to adopt us as His children according to His pleasure and will.

As we rejoice in the coming of the Savior let’s remember this GIFT was given because God wants us as His children.  Do we want Him?

 

I enjoyed several days with my kids and grandkids here on the farm. We enjoy meals together, many games of Contract Rummy and Spinner, and sharing memories of Dad and Grandpa. Everyone has safely returned home and back to school and work, and Molly and I are slowly adjusting to being by ourselves again.  It was too quiet after everyone went home. Molly had two other dogs to play with and missed them, too.

So, Thanksgiving Day has come and gone but my thanksgiving has not.  I continue to be grateful for life here on the farm. I enjoy the open space and mountain scenes.  I’m thankful for substitute teaching days and the opportunity to touch a child’s life. (And I don’t have to write lesson plans and grade papers!) I’m thankful for the Internet and for a computer to connect with my far-away friends.  And I am most thankful for the Word of God.

     “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also        supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

As I read this passage of Scripture this week I thought it would be a good motto for the new year. (Can another year be ending already?!)   God provides. God increases. I am enabled to be generous only because of God’s generosity and the result is thanksgiving to God.

I also noticed these verses are not just talking about material blessings.  God enlarges the harvest of my righteousness.  May I never forget that God makes me righteous through the sacrifice of His Son and the indwelling of His Spirit!     Thanks be to God for His amazing grace!

I baked pies today-2 pumpkin and 3 chocolate. I baked them for my kids and grandkids. They’re  traveling at this moment to my house.  One family is coming from Virginia, the other from Tennessee. It is now 10:30 at night and they still have a distance to drive.  Their lives are busy and they couldn’t start until late in the day. I’ve asked God to surround both vans with protective angels and bring them safely home.  I’m so thankful my daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids want to come to my house.

As I walked with Molly today and watched her racing around the fields and leaping in the air I couldn’t help but think how full of joy she must be (if indeed dogs feel joy).  Joy of being free of her fenced area!  I laughed at her antics and was grateful I could laugh again.

As I made the pies and ran the vacuum I thought about the many previous Thanksgivings we had shared with my parents and Wayne’s parents.  I remembered the last Thanksgiving that Wayne’s dad was with us.  He’d been very sick and I think he knew he wouldn’t be around for the next year. He surprised us by telling us how much he loved us and was thankful for us. That was not his normal behavior but how grateful we were to hear his expressions of love and gratitude.   Since that Thanksgiving Day we’ve had to say good-bye to my mother-in-law, and my mother.  I am very thankful to have my 92-year-old dad living nearby.  He will join us for a meal tomorrow.

My thoughts also went back to 2014 when we thought Wayne would be spending Thanksgiving in Johns Hopkins Hospital. The girls had come to see him and then drove on to our home. They would join other family members for dinner. Wayne wanted to come home for Thanksgiving, so  he was discharged late in the day and we arrived home that evening to enjoy a delicious plate of food saved just for us.  So thankful for that memory of his happiness in getting to come home.

God is good and my life is filled with things for which I’m thankful.  I thank Him most of all for providing a Savior and giving us the Holy Spirit to help us on our life journey.  Without God we would be nothing and we’d have no hope. So thankful for hope!

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

Happy Thanksgiving Day!