Thursday 13 April, 2017

10 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know something about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food. 4 They all drank the same spiritual water. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them. That rock was Christ. 5 But God was not pleased with most of them. Their bodies were scattered in the desert. 6 Now those things happened as examples for us. They are supposed to keep us from wanting evil things. The people of Israel wanted these evil things. 7 So don’t worship statues of gods, as some of them did. It is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance wildly in front of their god.” (Exodus 32:6) 8 We should not commit sexual sins, as some of them did. In one day 23,000 of them died. 9 We should not test the Messiah, as some of them did. They were killed by snakes. 10 Don’t speak against God. That’s what some of the people of Israel did. And they were killed by the destroying angel. 11 Those things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us. That’s because we are living at the time when God’s work is being completed. 12 So be careful. When you think you are standing firm, you might fall. 13 You are tempted in the same way all other human beings are. God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted any more than you can take. But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out. Then you will be able to deal with it.

Paul makes a point here reminding us that the ancient people of Israel witnessed amazing miracles from God – the parting of the Red Sea and the cloud of God covering them in the wilderness for 40 years to give them shelter and guidance. Even, so, many of them turned away from following God’s ways and did not please God.

We can be tempted to think that if God was more overt in displaying His power and miraculous deeds that people would follow Him. History shows us that this is not the case. The human heart is rebellious and does not easily submit to the ways of God.

“So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” (verse 12). Wise words! Pride can easily blind us to think that we are impervious to temptation and to rebellion against God, but of course we are not.

Today (each day!) I need to be reminded of my need of a Saviour and ask for the grace of God to keep walking in His ways.

Written by Shelley Witt