Impatience
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 2 Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron.
(Exodus 32:1-3)
Moses, along with seventy elders, went part of the way up Mt. Sinai. We're told in chapter twenty-four that they actually saw God. Then Moses was called higher up the mountain to receive from God the stone tablets on which God had written the law. No one knew how long Moses would be gone but, after forty days and nights, the people feared that Moses wasn't coming back and that God had abandoned them. In their anxiousness, the people implored Aaron, Moses' brother who had been left in charge, to create an image they could see and touch that would represent God - or become their god.
It seems crazy, on the surface, that people who had been delivered in such a mighty way could so easily be drawn to create something less than God to worship. But how often do we choose something we can have now over what would be better, but would take longer? How often do we hurry to do things our way rather than wait on God's timing and plan? Often fear is a cause of our impatience. We're afraid because we don't know or understand what God is doing. If we can remember that God loves us and that God both desires and is working for our good, we can rest patiently in faith trusting God fully. May faith overcome our fear so that impatience is
replaced with peace and trust.
6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:6-9)
