I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Numbers 25. “Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord , out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.’ And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Verses 1, 4, 6-8).  God said, “Obey Me. Serve ONLY Me.” That seems pretty clear, right? So why is it so hard for us to do what He says?  Israel had witnessed the power of God first hand. They knew how quick He was to deal with sin and disobedience. Yet they did it anyway. Aren’t we the same disobeying God on a daily basis? We may not have an image that we worship, but what about going to places we shouldn’t go, watching shows we shouldn’t watch? We are the same. God judges disobedience,  He is holy and therefore sin will not be tolerated in His children. Learn from the mistakes of Israel. God desires obedience NOT sacrifice.