October 11th

The Signs that Lead to Sin

Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the LORD said to Moses, Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish...' But Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us...' Then the LORD said to him, Away! Get down and then come up.' Exodus 19:20-24

You know, I climbed Mount Sinai once. Actually, I rode a camel the whole way, and it still took me four hours.

Mount Sinai is a steep mountain of barren rock that's over seven thousand feet high. It's not a friendly, casual climb that you just make when you feel like it. But here in our verses today, we see Moses, who is now an eighty year old man, making this trip more than once.

In fact, when we look at the broader context surrounding these verses, Moses has made the trek to the top of the mountain three times in three days before the Lord tells him to go back down again, and then come right back up a fourth time. Up. Down. Up. Down. Then the Lord says, Come up, and as soon as Moses is up, the Lord says, Go back down.

It's like Moses is standing there listening to God and thinking, Man, can't I get some kind of break from all this climbing? Or maybe a hot tub, sauna, and massage? And really? I have to go back down again just to tell the people something I already told them?

Yes, Moses, you have to go back down. And then you have to come right back up.

Have you ever felt that God was inconvenient? I'm sure that Moses certainly did at that time. Maybe you've felt that it's just too much to ask that you read your Bible regularly, or that you pray, or that you fast, or that you come to church so much, or that you preach and teach the gospel to those who need to be saved.

Maybe it isn't always convenient to live with your spouse and raise your family in a way that honors God. Maybe it isn't always convenient to stand up for God when your friends want you to go with the crowd.

It wasn't convenient for Moses to obey God, but God is God and His presence was calling Moses to come. Whatever God is calling you to today, remember that He is God, and remember that His presence is waiting for you to come.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for calling me into Your presence! I know that it won't always be convenient to follow what You tell me to do, but I want to follow anyway. Please give me the strength to follow You no matter what!

Amen