Week 6: But LORD... / But the LORD...

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12, Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 6:27-35
• Monday: Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5
• Tuesday: Exodus 21:22-23:13, Matthew 24:1-28, Psalm 29:1-11, Proverbs 7:6-23
• Wednesday: Exodus 23:14-25:40, Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 30:1-12, Proverbs 7:24-27
• Thursday: Exodus 26:1-27:21, Matthew 25:1-30, Psalm 31:1-8, Proverbs 8:1-11
• Friday: Exodus 28:1-43, Matthew 25:31-26:13, Psalm 31:9-18, Proverbs 8:12-13
• Saturday: Exodus 29:1-30:10, Matthew 26:14-46, Psalm 31:19-24, Proverbs 8:14-26

Our S.O.A.P. this week is again from the book of Exodus, Chapter 19:

Scripture: Exodus 19:20-21
20 The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain. 21 Then the LORD told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to cross the boundaries. They must not come up here to see the LORD, for those who do will die.

Observation:
The LORD calls Moses to the top of Mount Sinai to meet Him there. As soon as Moses reaches the top, God tells him to go back down again, to warn the people not to climb the mountain themselves. Moses protests! “But LORD… you already told them… and…” Verse 24 says: But the LORD said: “Go down anyway and bring Aaron with you." Moses’ protest is understandable. He is 80 years old, and he just climbed to the top of the mountain. Now he has to go back all the way and come back up again. Besides… he already had warned the people. This seems like a useless exercise (literally) in his eyes. But obviously, the LORD thought differently, and... the LORD wins! Moses has to go all the way down.

Application:
There have been plenty of times in my life when I thought God told me something to do that didn’t seem to make sense to me. Many times I have made excuses in my head that started with… “But LORD…”. I wonder if those events would have been written up in a book, just like Moses in the book of Exodus, how many times it would say after that… “But the LORD…” Do you see the difference between our response: "But LORD...", and God's response: "But the LORD...". God wants the best for us, and sometimes asks us things that don't seem to make sense at all. Why climb a mountain when you're 80 years old, only to hear you have to go back down again, repeat something you already did, then come back up again...? Why?? Well... because the LORD told you so. But the LORD said...

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I know this is a risky prayer to pray, but I do know it is the right thing to pray: please help me to do your will, even though at times it doesn't seem to make sense to me. Help me to overcome my own poor judgment at times, and submit to your perfect will for my life. I love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a blessed week.
In Christ,

Dick