God Vs. Gods

The Inescapable God
God Reveals
Exodus 32:1-10 (The Message)

Make Gods for Us"

 ¹ When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in coming down off the mountain, they rallied around Aaron and said, "Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us. That Moses, the man who got us out of Egypt—who knows what's happened to him?"  ^2-4 So Aaron told them, "Take off the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters and bring them to me." They all did it; they removed the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from their hands and cast it in the form of a calf, shaping it with an engraving tool.
   The people responded with enthusiasm: "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from Egypt!"
 ⁵ Aaron, taking in the situation, built an altar before the calf.
   Aaron then announced, "Tomorrow is a feast day to God!"
 ⁶ Early the next morning, the people got up and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings and brought Peace-Offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink and then began to party. It turned into a wild party!
 ^7-8 God spoke to Moses, "Go! Get down there! Your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt have fallen to pieces. In no time at all they've turned away from the way I commanded them: They made a molten calf and worshiped it. They've sacrificed to it and said, 'These are the gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt!'"

For Reflection
No doubt Moses was a strong leader, but where did the people put their trust? It seems that the people assigned their salvation to Moses rather than to God.  Aaron filled the void left by Moses's absence and gave the people some thing to substitute for Moses.  Seems as though the people had already made an idol of Moses so it was easy for them to build their own god.

  Where do you commit time? To what extent does that commitment of time indicate your devotion to it?  How much time do you devote to your role in the Kingdom?

Pray to God that we are not tempted into idolatry.  Pray for the wisdom to realize the subtle seduction of the need to make god concrete.  Be silent and listen for God's gentle guidance.