38At the Lord’s command Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor, where he died on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.
39Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor - P40
Another impactful event along the Israelites’ journey was the death of Aaron. The leader was brother to Moses and a priest who offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. He had traveled with them for over forty years, and his death on Mount Hor resulted in a significant shift in leadership as the Israelites prepared to enter the promised land. - P42
A change in leadership can be disconcerting for both for the followers and the remaining leaders. When we continue to seek God, however, change does not need to be unsettling or worrisome. - P42
It can mark the start of a new season in the journey ahead, with God as our ultimate leader and guide. - P42
When entering the promised land, the Israelites are told that they mustdestroy all the carved images, idols, and high places where other gods areworshiped. Every inhabitant is also to be driven out because they will be-come like barbs and thorns, causing trouble for them. These directionsfrom God give us a picture of what idolatry can do. - P42
Allowing even a smallportion of idolatry to remain in our lives is like allowing a thorn to remainon our clothes and poke into our side. It will be painful and will distract usfrom focusing on God and His work. - P42
We must not tolerate even a "small"
idol because it can grow into a much bigger problem in the future. avis que - P42
"Perhaps the greatest gift God gives us when our circumstances won‘t stop changingis that he reminds us that we are hidden in the unchangeable Christ, who is the trueconstant, outlasting even change."- Abigail Dodds - P42
Dear Lord, I confess that I sometimes allow idols to distract me from You. Please uproot these idols from my life so that I can stay focused on You and on building up Your kingdom. In Your name, amen. - P43
In our requests to the Lord, we do not always have the same level of obedience and trust that this boy had with his grandmother. When God says "no"
or tells us to wait patiently, we sometimes ignore Him and take what wewant anyway. - P47
We do not hold on to our requests lightly. We only focus onwhat we desire. In our short-sighted selfishness, we might be happy initially,
but we often experience the consequences of our actions later on, and webegin to see why God denied or delayed our requests. - P47
It can be difficult toaccept a different answer from what we expected, but as we form a closerrelationship with the Lord, we build a history of trust and can respond likethe little boy who knew that his grandmother knew best. - P47
|