Remembering Where You Stand

I was reading a passage the other day that ended up challenging me as a leader. As a staff we read it together and discussed it at our weekly meeting. In Exodus 32, God is ready to slay the stiff necked, rebellious people of God who have been quick to forget His deliverance. Moses has been on the mountain with God, Aaron is the defacto leader, but the mob has begun to grumble and Aaron's solution leads to disaster.

Ex 32:1-5
32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."
2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."
3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."

The affront to Yahweh the Deliverer is more than understandable. Look at his reply.

Ex 32:9-10
9 "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

It is the end of verse 10 that struck me as a leader this time. God offered Moses the equivalent of a new Abrahamic Promise. Moses, give me some time while I wipe out these people and I will start again with you.

Moses knew God's word was true. He had witnessed the power of God in the plagues. Seen His promises of deliverance fulfilled at the Red Sea. Moses knew this promise was his for the asking. He would be the new father of a multitude. Wow!

It is interesting where Moses' heart lies. Without hesitation it becomes clear where Moses stands, with the people he has been called to lead. Though he may have been tempted by the promise of a new beginning, his heart allegiance remains with the stiff-necked people. He intercedes for them.

Where do you stand? Is your allegiance firmly fixed on the people you are called to serve? Or could your heart easily be tempted away to other goals, other glories? When those you serve prove to be stiff-necked, unthankful, is your heart tempted to turn away?

In the worst moment of his tenure as leader of the flock of Israel, when those he leads cavort around the image of a calf his second chair leader, Aaron has created, Moses stood with his people. He was in the place every leader would find himself-standing as intercessor between God and those he serves.

Where do you stand?