"All the LORD has spoken we will do!"

Exodus 19:3-8                        (ESV)
"3 while Moses went up to GOD. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:
4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to MYSELF.
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey MY voice and keep my covenant, you shall be MY treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is MINE;
6 and you shall be to ME a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.
8 All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD."



From time to time there is something the LORD puts in my path that HE will use to impact me for HIS glory, something I know must have been from GOD ALMIGHTY!  A devotional by Francis Chan came to my attention a few days ago and the thought crossed my mind that I needed to read that!  Later I opened my iPad and the devotional was there so I read it, and boy am I glad I did!  The following paragraphs are excerpts from the devotional:

Imagine walking up a mountain alone. But it’s no ordinary mountain. The ground beneath you is shaking, and the entire mountain is covered in smoke. At its peak is a thick cloud with lightning and thunder. God descends onto the mountain in fire, and each time you speak to him, he responds in thunder. This is what Moses experienced in Exodus 19.

Now compare that experience to your last time in prayer.

Distracted, obligatory, ordinary — I doubt any such words came across Moses’s mind as he ascended the mountain. But some three thousand years later, we rarely marvel that God permits imperfect humans into his presence.

How did the shocking become so ordinary to us? Is it even possible for our experiences with God to be that fascinating?

Going Up the Mountain

A mentor of mine lives in India. Last year, he called me on the phone crying, distraught over the state of the church in America. “It seems like the people in America would be content to take a selfie with Moses. Don’t they know they can go up the mountain themselves? Why don’t they want to go up the mountain?”

When was the last time you enjoyed meaningful time alone with God? Time so good that you didn’t want to leave. It was just you, reading God’s words, in his holy presence.

As most are aware, the book of Exodus is one of my favorites as GOD displays HIS power, Mercy and Grace in Majestic fashion for the Hebrew nation and the Egyptian nation, at least those who would pay attention!   GOD spoke to the Israelites and told them HE had delivered them from the Egyptians and HE had great Plans for them, IF they would obey HIS VOICE!  The Israelites responded "All that the LORD has spoken we will do."  And they did.......until times got hard and then they started looking at their problems again instead of looking at their Deliverer!

My life is remarkably familiar to the children of Israel!  GOD has delivered me through SO many trials and tribulations that I should KNOW HE is going to come through for me!  But I constantly want to "see" how HE is going to work things out instead of TRUSTING in HIM, not only for HIS provision, but also to provide in HIS timing!!!

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to trust in YOU for my everything, to depend on YOU not only to provide my needs, but rest in YOU for the needs to be met on YOUR timetable!!!