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God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

I acknowledge it often seems more difficult to trust God than to obey Him. The moral will of God given to us in the Bible is rational and reasonable. The circumstances in which we must trust God often appear irrational and inexplicable….Obeying God is worked out within well-defined boundaries of God’s revealed will. Trusting God is worked out in an arena that has no boundaries. We do not know the extent, the duration, or the frequency of the painful, adverse circumstances in which we must frequently trust God. We are always coping with the unknown.
Jerry Bridges

Christ constitutes the unconditional gift of our salvation, but He also serves as our great exemplar. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:21). As the true man, the one who exemplifies God-honoring, Spirit-filled human obedience without peer, Christ is the one whom Christians are to imitate in our obedience of God. The words of Pilate at the crucifixion, “Behold the man,” are ironically true: in Christ, and especially in His passion and death, we see true humanity, and in Him we find our calling, our purpose, and our destiny as His followers (Luke Stamps).
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    • Bible Reading: JAN28: Exodus 32-34

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    While Moses was on the Mount getting divine
    direction as to how man can worship God, the people
    devised a “golden calf.” This reveals man’s human nature
    and verifies Isaiah 64:6 that “All our righteousnesses
    are as filthy rags.”

    The golden calf stands as a symbol of human
    intellect devising a system of worship apart from God
    and His direction. The significance of Aaron’s golden
    calf is that man, left to himself, will worship the
    works of his own hands. Can was the first example of
    such a deceitful heart. Not only did the children of
    Israel violate the graven image commandment that had
    just been given to them, but actually proclaimed a feast
    unto the Lord and offered burnt offerings. All of this
    was an abomination unto God.

    Today, idolatry is still very prevalent in the
    world. Idolatry does not have to be a golden calf; it is
    anything we put before God. Many people are slaves to
    money, using money as their god; others use houses and
    lands; some sports, or even their families. But God’s
    Word still resounds down through the years that we
    should have no other gods before us. We must obey God
    and Him only. It is always better to obey than to
    sacrifice. Jesus said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord,
    and do not the things which I say?” There is no
    substitute for obedience, and there is no substitute for
    the true and living God.

    God-ordained leadership was very essential to
    the spiritual life of Israel, but while Moses was on the
    Mount, the majority of the people voted to dismiss him
    as their pastor. They preferred someone who would go
    along with their popular ideas, and Aaron made himself
    available and willingly cooperated to satisfy their
    lusts.

    Today, we should pray for the men of God who
    faithfully preach the Word and have the courage to
    reprove, rebuke, and exhort (II Timothy 4:1-4).
    “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have
    spoken unto you the Word of God…submit yourselves: for
    they watch for your souls, as they must give account,
    that they may do it with joy, and not with grief”
    (Hebrews 13:7,17). Your pastor should be upheld in your
    daily prayers, that he might have the courage to be the
    servant of the Lord, and follow the leadership of God in
    every case; never the leadership of man.

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