Just Like That

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

“I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Verse of the day-Psalm 18:1, 2...”I love you, O Lord, my strength.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Today’s reading: Exodus 34-35 Matthew 22:23-46

Just Like That

Exodus 32 tells of the golden calf that the Israelites had Aaron make while Moses was on the mountain with God. They grew impatient and wanted to make something happen. It had been the best part of forty days and they started to mumble against Moses and finally cornered Aaron and told him to make a god they could worship. Aaron did not protest. He asked for their gold.

Chapter 32, verse 4 says: 4 He collected the gold they brought and used a tool to fashion an idol in the shape of a calf.

Just like that. Aaron did what the people said and they were immediately taken with their new 'god' and started to worship (sing and dance and party).

Human beings are so predictable. People think that if they cannot see it, it is not real or worthy of consideration. They have to see a sign. If a man is not successful, he cannot be a great Christian. A great Christian must have something tangible to prove how great his God is. Otherwise, the world pays no attention. We worship success. We worship accomplishment. The man who gets the applause must be the closest to God. The man who has all the money had all God's blessings?

Jesus said, "The Son of man has no place to lay His head", Matthew 8:20. Jesus did not have a house or flocks or fortune. He walked up to fourteen miles a day speaking for the glory of God and His kingdom and His salvation to man (and against the established church that had all the money and power).

So Moses comes down the mountain and sees the sin and in his anger broke the tablets God had written. He cornered Aaron and asked him why he did what he did. Basically, this is what Aaron said:

" Calm down, master. These people, that you left me in charge of, pressured me and so I asked for their gold; they gave it to me; I threw it in the fire and out popped this golden calf-just like that".(Exodus 32:22-24)

What does that sound like? Does the 'big bang' sound familiar? Let's go set off a bomb in the closest junkyard and then celebrate the new international space station that appears-just like that. Why not?

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.It took our perfect God a week to complete creation-but it wasn't just like that. It took Jesus three years to make it to the cross and provide a perfect sacrifice for us-not just like that.

But, it takes a turn of the human heart-just like that. It takes a person giving their heart and life to Jesus to have God write their name in His book-just like that.

It does take a life of daily dying to self and obeying God to be conformed into the image of Jesus for God's glory. It takes a lifetime to learn what God has for each of us. It takes only a moment to come to Jesus but it takes a lifetime to be like Him.

To employ the mind of Christ... to be transformed by the renewal of our minds... to experience the bliss of God's presence that is new everyday... to love as He loves-none of this happens just like that. It takes what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31:

"I die every day!"

Death to self and the temptations of the world and surrender to God in Christ cannot be reduced to 'just like that'. When this life in Christ is seriously considered and relentlessly pursued, God will give us all we ever need. Tell God that your desire is weak and ask Him to make it stronger.

...because He loves you, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

I want to want to hallow Your name with my whole heart. I need more desire to obey as in Your kingdom. Give me today’s bread-what You know I must have. Forgive me my rebellious heart. Lead me away from evil.

Highest God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen