Meet God Series

Thomas Fountain, of Vidalia, Georgia, was with his family in Mexico City several years ago. Now, Mexico City is 7,500 feet above sea level, so it rarely gets hot, but one of the days they spent there was a scorcher. Trying to cope with the heat, their youngest daughter, Debbie, shed all but her panties.

Tom asked his daughter, “Debbie, what are you doing running around half naked?”

“Well,” she replied, “you want me to be half decent, don't you?” (Thomas E. Fountain, Vidalia, Georgia, “Kids of the Kingdom,” Christian Reader; www.PreachingToday.com)

I think that’s what people want not only for their children, but for themselves, as well. People want to be decent, human beings. But that’s hard sometimes. Our sinful, human natures get in the way, and we become self-absorbed, irritable, or anxious, which leads to all kinds of bad choices.

So how can sinful human beings learn to live holy lives? How can believers grow to live lives that please the Lord who saved them from bondage to a worthless life?

That was a problem the children of Israel faced after God rescued them from bondage to Egypt. They were self-absorbed, irritable and anxious, and that was leading them into sin. So God had to do something that would keep them from sinning. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Exodus 19, Exodus 19, where we see what God did for His people in Moses’ day and what He can do for you today to keep you from sinning.

Exodus 19:1-4 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself (ESV).

I remember, several years ago, watching a pair of eagles swirling around in the sky above our home on Washington Island. I was awestruck! Let me tell you: there is nothing more majestic than watching a pair of eagles soar in the sky, but they don’t start off that way.

They start as little eaglets in nests perched high above the earth. Then mamma decides that her little eaglets need to learn to fly. So she takes her little eagle out of its nest, flies up as high as she can go, and then drops the little fledgling, letting it fall. Now, the fledgling has never flown in its life, and the ground is coming up fast. No doubt, its heart is ready to burst, knowing there is no way it will to survive.

But the mamma eagle is watching, and at the last moment she swoops down and catches her baby eaglet. Relieved, the baby eagle thinks, “I'm saved, I'm fine, I'm gonna survive.” But mamma flies up as high as she can go and drops it again, and she continues to do this until her little eaglet learns to fly (Ron Mehl, pastor of Foursquare Church, Beaverton, Oregon; www.Preaching Today.com).

That’s the picture we have here when God tells Israel, “I bore you on eagles’ wings.” When they came to the Red Sea with the Egyptians hot on their heels, God swooped down and parted the waters. When they didn’t have food, God swooped down and provided manna. When they didn’t have water, God swooped down and gave them water out of the rock. God wants his people to know that He carried them on eagles’ wings. Then he says to them…

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel” (ESV).

God wants His people to know that He treasures them. They are special to Him, holy, set-apart and uniquely His, but only if they obey Him fully.

Exodus 19:7-8 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD (ESV).

The people agreed to obey God fully, because they wanted to be His special people. And that’s where your holiness starts. If you want to keep from sinning and live lives that please the Lord, then like Israel…