August 25, 2026
Tuesday, August 25
Last week, we saw the Israelites break their covenant with God through worshipping a golden calf. It looked like all the great plans of God to change the world through this one nation were over. But God, as always, refused to let His plans be thwarted by human sin. Here’s how Exodus 33 starts:
The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Just a chapter earlier, the people had attempted to justify their idolatry by asserting that a) Moses had been missing for weeks, b) It had been at least that long since God had spoken, and therefore c) Their mission to reach the Promised Land was in jeopardy. Now, God says, “Alright, if the Promised Land is what you want, I’ll give it to you. Cross the Jordan right now and claim your inheritance. I’ll even clear the present inhabitants out for you. You’ll find empty cities you didn’t build, gardens you didn’t plant, and livestock you didn’t raise. You’ll have everything you want…but I won’t be there.”
What would you have said? Here’s another way to put the question: Imagine God offered you everything you want in life: The money, the relationships, the success, the health. But no relationship with Him. No more going to church, praying, studying the Scriptures, serving Him by loving other people. An entirely self-centered life from now on. Would you take that deal? I know this is a Christian devotional, so you’re smart enough to know the answer is supposed to be “No.” But isn’t there a part of you that says, “That sounds tempting”?
Moses told the people what God had offered. He must have been shocked at their response (vv. 4-6). They mourned. They showed their grief by taking off all their jewelry. Here’s why that’s significant: That jewelry was part of the loot they had carried out of Egypt. It was the spoils of war; God’s miraculous provision for their needs. But now, they were saying, “Even the amazing blessings God has already given us are worth nothing to us if God isn’t with us. We would rather die here in the desert than live in the Promised Land without God in our lives.” This is what true repentance looks like. It’s realizing you’ve done something terrible and saying, “I need God’s help to never, ever do that again.”
“Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit would show me, today, where in my life true repentance is needed. I don’t want to hold anything back from you. Wherever I am doing things my own way, make it known to me, and grant me the strength to overcome that sin. In your holy name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
