Who is Your Center?

~ From God-Centered to Self-Centered ~

The proper progression in the Christian life is from being self-centered to becoming increasingly God-centered in all aspects of living. However, we have an example in Exodus 32 where we find individuals moving in the opposite direction!

As the chapter opens we find Moses doing God’s will in God’s way and according to God’s timing. But the people became impatient.

Wrong Attitude (Impatience)  ~  “When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in coming down off the mountain, they rallied around Aaron and said, ‘Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us. That Moses, the man who got us out of Egypt — who knows what's happened to him?’” (Exodus 32:1, The Message).

Impatience soon became the basis for wrong actions. They quickly moved from being God-centered to completely self-centered.

Wrong Reasoning  ~  “So Aaron told them, ‘Take off the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters and bring them to me.’ They all did it; they removed the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from their hands and cast it in the form of a calf, shaping it with an engraving tool” (Exodus 32:2-4a).

Wrong Decision  ~  The people responded with enthusiasm: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from Egypt!’ Aaron, taking in the situation, built an altar before the calf. Aaron then announced, ‘Tomorrow is a feast day to God!’ Early the next morning, the people got up and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings and brought Peace-Offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink and then began to party. It turned into a wild party!” (Exodus 32:4b-6, The Message).

A wrong attitude led to wrong reasoning which ended in a wrong decision. They reverted to doing their own will instead of God’s will for them. As the chapter continues, we find that God was not pleased with their actions. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW