Date: 02-01-2020

Title: Dodging Responsibility

(S) cripture:
    Exodus 32:21-24 (NASB77) Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil. 23 “For they said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 “And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
    
(O) bservation:
    Earlier Moses has been on the mountain and the people began to be restless without their leader present and asked Aaron to make an idol for them to worship. Arron recounts that to Moses in the verses I chose but sure didn’t want any responsibility for the consequences. He had called for the gold and had fashioned it into the calf, he then built the altar and called for the sacrifices. When confronted his explanation was “Not my fault, I threw the gold into the fire and out came this calf.” No way it was his responsibility – the people are prone to evil and forced me to do this. He wanted to dodge God’s anger and wrath.

(A) pplication:
    There are times when I am faced with people pressuring me to do or condone things that I know are not right. I certainly do not want to experience God’s anger and wrath and I also do not want to abuse or take for granted his forgiveness. I will not dodge responsibility or try to pass blame on to others but will confess my sin to the Lord and live with whatever the consequences might be. Apology, restitution, redoing a project etc. whatever the Lord requires.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, I know that I cannot fool or deceive you. Thank you for loving me enough to allow me to confess my sin and experience your forgiveness. Give me courage to take responsibility and not try to switch blame to others. Amen