Changing the World: What Just One Man (Or Woman) Can Do

One of the most exciting stories in the Bible (at least to me) is the story of God's wrath after the children of Israel made the golden calf. 

You probably remember the details. Moses was on the mountain with God, getting the ten commandments, for forty days. The people had counted on Moses as their deliverer and leader. Aaron made a poor substitute.

Mankind has an inherent desire for an object of worship. While Moses was away, they remembered the gods of the Egyptians and wanted something tangible. 

"Make us a god to go before us," they told Aaron.

"Sure. Great. Take the earrings from your wives and daughters ears and bring them to me. I'll make you a great little idol." (This is the Leanna Paraphrase, as are the following "quotes".)

It's a good thing I'm not God, because I would have zapped Aaron on the spot when that stupidity came out of his mouth.

On the other hand, I'm no better than Aaron. Although I don't make idols from earrings, I am as adept as anyone at attaching a greater significance to "things" than I should.

But I digress.

God, of course, knew about the "earring idol". He was ready to destroy the people and start over, but Moses begged for them. 

"No. It will make you look bad among the surrounding peoples. They will think You couldn't deliver your people so you killed them."

God relented on destroying them, but He was still angry. He'd just delivered them from Egyptian slavery and done a flashy and fabulous miracle with the Red Sea. 

"Go ahead to the Promised Land, Moses. I'll send you an angel to help, but I'm not going in your midst."

The people did a kind of "ornament fast" and mourned the loss, but God did not relent. Moses begged for them again. 

"Don't make me go without You."

"Okay, Moses. You win. I'll go with you, but I've still had it with these people."

Moses begged one more time. "No, Lord. If Your presence doesn't go with us, don't make us go."

A miracle happened during that quiet time between God and Moses. The Lord God Almighty relented and agreed to go with the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land.

"And the Lord said to Moses, 'I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name." Genesis 33:17 nasb)

The people who journeyed to the Promised Land didn't know it, but they enjoyed the presence of God because of one man's passion for Him.

One man's passion for God can make a difference we can't begin to imagine. 

D.L. Moody's friend, Henry Varley, once said, "The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him." Moody vowed to be that man. He went on to have an evangelistic ministry on two continents that resulted in more than one million conversions.

One ordinary man, serving an extraordinary God, can do things most of us don't dare to dream. 

I'm just an ordinary woman. You're probably ordinary, too. It's easy to discount the kind of impact we could have on the world, but our surrendered lives, in the hands of God, can be part of incredible blessings. We can impact more than just the people around us. We can impact the world for God. 

If we will.

Varley was right. The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man or woman who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.

By God's grace, let's commit to be that one.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Our next Friday Night with Friends guest blog will post at 6 pm this Friday night. You don't want to miss it!

In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links: Friday Night with Friends: New Beginning, The Temperament Test and Married Oneness, Leaving a Legacy: Choices That Last for Generations, Jumping to Conclusions: The Terrorists That Were Not, Nothing is Impossible: Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Morning Quiet Time: Who Speaks First.
#chronologicalBible #powerofone #changetheworld #Moses #presenceofGod #passion #disciple

The Showdown (Luke 3:19,20)

But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison. (Luke 3:19, 20 NASB)

Herod Antipas was the youngest son of Herod the Great, who, in his will, divided his kingdom among his sons. He left the job of Tetrach of the region of Galilee and Perea to Herod, where he ruled for 42 years.  Herod had antagonized the Jewish people many times, but his marriage to Herodias was particularly heinous. He had traveled to Rome to visit his brother, fallen in love with his brother's wife, and the two of them had left their spouses and married. Not only was his new wife the former wife of his brother, she was also his niece (which made the marriage incestuous).

John could not be silent, and denounced the marriage. Herod arrested and imprisoned John. Undoubtedly John knew the risk he took in speaking out against Herod, but fear of consequences did not stop him from speaking truth. John's job was to preach "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin" and he did not hesitate to call sin when he saw it.

John was extremely popular and had attracted crowds of people by his preaching. Herod may have feared that a revolt would be triggered by John's denouncement. His father had killed all male babies under the age of two in response to the magi's questions about a newborn king. In their family, threats to their power were not tolerated. John's family had had enough of silence. A showdown was inevitable.

John's passion for truth and righteousness led him to a decision point. Speak or be silent. When we remember that John's ministry was not about denouncing sin but calling people to recognize their sin, repent, and receive forgiveness, his need to speak out is understandable. In the end, his need to speak truth superseded his need to preserve his life.

Ours is a country founded on the premise of individual rights, which includes the freedom of speech. There are people on both sides of every issue speaking out, but how do we respond personally to the evils we see around us? Is there a point to our words? John did not just denounce evil. He had a solution for sin and was eager to share it. Repent and be forgiven. He told everyone he met, no matter how important or powerful they were.

The question for us is this: How committed are we to sharing the good news of the forgiveness and cleansing that only Christ can give? How committed are we to bringing light to a dark and lonely world?

Today, pray that the faith we claim and the words we speak will match, and that we will not hold back when truth needs to be spoken. Pray too that the believers our loved ones encounter will be bold as lions and gentle as lambs as they speak the words of life to them.

Repent and be saved. Four words that are filled with life. Speak them today.