Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Go down, Moses Thursday, March 18, 2010 Exodus 32:7 The Lord said to Moses, "Go down at once to your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. The heck with Mr. Smith, I think Moses should go to Washington. That's a joke, although really not so much. But where in the world is not depraved? Washington just gets all the press. Whenever two or three are gathered, there come politics. Natural and necessary: we can't get along without agreement, and agreement doesn't occur without compromise. Therefore we have four-way stops and red lights and green lights, and laws of every kind. We run into each other less often that way. Far fewer bloody noses. God did not see fit to become our dictator, no matter how benevolent. He loves me and defines that love by leaving me alone until I ask. There do seem to be exceptions: in this Case of the Golden Calf he was ready to burn up his people until Moses begged him for mercy. After Moses came down from the mountain he established judges and courts and law, and the next bunch of pages in the Bible are lists of those laws. They cover everything from mildew to incest. The pendulum of permission has swung wildly over the centuries, as the family of man created democracies and tyrannies. But these are not just governmental systems; they are societies. In our culture so dominated by television it is outrageously simple for a few people to create public opinion, and to color facts by their presentation. Many of us no longer trust much or anything of what is packaged for TV, no matter channel it's on. So whether or not we have a democratic government, our society becomes less so. Instead it becomes polarized and divided. We are allowed to divorce a marriage partner, but we can't divorce half the town we live in, or half the state, or half the country. One-half of us is not depraved; we is all depraved. And I think it's about time we get Moses down here to do some damage. In spite of our depravity your love does not change, Lord. There is no wilting or turning away or disgust, but only love. You may hate the way we do things, hate the way we hate each other, but you love every one of us; and there lies what strength we have to love each other. Fill me up day after day, Lord, with the desire to do just that. "; Add      Edit    Delete