Prayer Journal

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Aaron used his skill to create a golden calf for the people to worship. He then built an altar and placed it in front of the calf as if it could be compared to the genuine worship of Jehovah. You'd think he would have confessed what he did and asked forgiveness when later confronted by Moses. But Aaron showed that unconfessed sin makes a person say and do stupid things.

Have you ever known a liar up close and personal? I'm not talking about someone who tells a lie and is so bothered by the thought of concealing it, they run to confess it in order to get some peace in their life. Such a person is not what the Bible calls a liar. A real liar is that person who lives with deception and tries to act clean. When confronted, they tell only what they need to tell in order to live to lie again.

You see, a liar will confess his wrongdoing when it benefits him or he is confronted by it. But a liar never tells everything or even gives a reasonable explanation for what he did. Instead, they act like Aaron, who would rather live with the consequences and guilt of concealed sin than attempt to regain the trust of the one they offended.

Why would Aaron make an idol in the first place? He, along with the other Israelites probably though Moses was either dead or had left them for greener pastures. And what happens when a person is left to his own reasoning for an extended period of time? Well, sin takes over and they blindly follow wherever it leads them. Proverbs say "Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway." (8:34)

Are you a liar or a person who thinks they can live with the guilt of telling a lie? Listen, even godly men and women lie, but they can't live with it very long. Peter denied Jesus three times and was ready to give up altogether when the Lord forgave him and encouraged him to continue serving him. (Mt 26:73-75)

What was Peter's lie? He had to recall each successive lie in order to add to it and thereby convince people he was telling the truth. His plan didn't work! He proved that remorse is a much better sleeping agent than regret.

If you're concealing a lie right now, I urge you to confess it, ask forgiveness and make restitution. If you don't remember anything else I've said today, know this: life is much easier when you don't have to remember what you said, only what you did.

Just Thinkin'... WebServant

1. Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Ex. 32:1-33:23 Mt. 26:75-27:14 Ps. 33:1-11 Pr. 8:33-36 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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