FEBRUARY 12 "THE TABLETS YOU SMASHED!"

    A lot of the focus up until this point has been on Aaron and his total screw up, while Moses was on top of the mount with God. God says, "Chisel out two more stone tablets like the first ones......THAT YOU SMASHED." God could have so easily left that last part out, but He decides not to and throws it in right at the end of the sentence. Moses at this point must have taken a big gulp and said, " oh yeah, I did do that didn't I....would you believe me if I told you they slipped out of my hand? " No I guess you wouldn't cause you already told me I smashed them".  "That's right Moses, you smashed the stones that I, God, carved out with my very own finger!" I like the way God doesn't beleaguer the point, but He does address it to let Moses know, "that wasn't a good thing, just to let you know, but you're forgiven even though you have never even said sorry or asked for forgiveness".  Now this is not some new doctrine here that I am trying to present, that God automatically forgives our sin even when we don't ask for forgiveness, but what I am saying is that God gives us more Grace and Mercy than we give Him credit for. Moses has been through some craziness at this point, the shock of the golden calf, the revelry, his brother totally failing and succumbing to lewdness and revelry and then the 3000 that perished in the judgment sword fight. But yet in the midst of that, Moses lost his temper once again and smashed the tablets inscribed by God himself, not to mention Moses made them grind the dust from the golden calf, into the water and DRINK IT!  They saw the anger and temper of Moses flaring and in fear they drank. I don't quite recall God telling Moses to grind the calf into dust and throw it into the water and drink it. God is so gracious with us and in our times of wrath against God's stupid, stupid, faithless people, what's wrong with them.....He gently reminds us of our own selves, our own sins and what we have done that wasn't so great and haven't even said "sorry" because we are so fixated on other people's failures, but God also doesn't beleaguer the point...."just a reminder you did this, but's it's okay, I know you had a bad day, just bring me new stones and let's move on and oh Moses, show the same Grace with my people that I have shown with you and BTW, the burning and grinding of the calf and making them drink the water.....yeah...that wasn't cool and make sure you tell them that was your idea, not mine!"

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