God in Mercy Never Forsakes

Even when they had made for themselves a molten calf, Thou in Thy great mercies did not forsake them (Nehemiah 9:18, 19).

Neh. 9:18, 19; Heb. 9:16-21; Ex. 32:4; Deut. 9:16-21; Acts 7:39-41

What Is God Saying?

The principal god of Egypt was the Bull. As the children of Israel wandered through the wilderness, they grew physically tired, emotionally drained, and mentally discouraged. Even their leader left them for an extended absence on Mt. Sinai. What could they pin their hopes on? When would they have relief and release? Who would understand their problem? Maybe the Golden Calf of Egypt would be more readily available than Jehovah seemed to be. God was angry. Moses, His instrument, "took the sinful thing, the calf which (they) had made and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust; and threw the dust of it into the brook that descended out of the mountain" (Deut. 9:21). Yet, God still guided them as they continued the impossible wilderness journey.

As we read of Israel’s stubbornness and God's mercies, we recall that the Israelites often worshipped the idols of the people around them despite the warnings and the pleadings of the prophets. It wasn't until their captivity in Babylon that they left these dangerous liaisons with gods other than God. In many places in Scripture, the Holy Spirit takes up the refrain to make sure the people of God will never slip back. The account of the Golden Calf is in Ex. 32:4. Moses then repeats it in Deut. 9:16. It appears again in Ps. 106:19-20 and finally in Acts 7:40-41, Stephen’s last message before his stoning. Our passage in Nehemiah is a reminder of what Israel did in rebellion against God and what God did in His great mercy toward them.

How Does This Apply To Us?

God deals mercifully with those who wander away in rebellion and pride but return in humility and faith. We have our Golden Calves, our substitutes for the living God. We have things in our lives that seem more important and promise immediate gratification. We grow discouraged in the wilderness. We may seek satisfaction in lesser gods to banish our sense of emptiness. Even so, God is patiently waiting for us to forsake these idols. In His mercy, then, He will never forsake us.

Pray With Me

God of all mercy, Your goodness never wavers. Pride can chill my heart. Selfish ambition hardens it. I have made many molten calves for myself. But now I have seen again the great mercies of my God. When I experienced discouragement, my eyes turned from the throne of grace. When pride lifted me, I forgot that God was my constant need. When comforts lulled me into perilous slumber, I forgot that my only hope was Your present grace. When temptation beckoned me, I dared to leave Your presence. I dared to shut You out. In moods of discouragement, I said, "God may care, but He is not there." In moments of temptation, I said, "God may be there, but He does not care." So, in the middle of a wilderness, I have, in effect, made a molten calf. I have fashioned an unhearing, unspeaking, and uncaring substitute for You.

My only hope is that You will not leave me with my lifeless toys. My only hope is that You will not leave me with my helpless idols in the wilderness of an impoverished and pointless existence. Create in me a profound gratitude for Your mercies. Give me the determination never to forsake You.

In the name of Him who said, and ceaselessly proves, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Amen.

Moving On In The Life Of Prayer

Let prayer be a time of consciously tearing down the idols that have assumed a higher priority than He has in our lives. Let prayer also be a time of gratitude for Him who said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Are we willing to forsake all those things bound to forsake us and choose to follow the one God who will never forsake us? Grow in prayer by forsaking the trivial and embracing the best, which is all good—the love and truth of Jesus Christ.