2.2.8 "Pencils Down"

"Pencils Down"

Exodus 15:19-17:7
Matthew 22:1-33
Psalm 27:1-6
Proverbs 6:20-26

How does it make you feel when you hear that phrase? There's a part of me that feels instant stress. Those are words that are spoken when the "time is up" when taking a test. As those words were spoken I remember my mind moving so fast, "ooh, i have to answer one more.... I hope I got number 7 right.... i hope i didn't skip any...." At that moment you know the test is done. You had your chance... This test has proven what I know.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they encountered many different circumstances, many of them which were less than comfortable. There were many times of frustration. They were in need. "Then the people complained and turned against Moses." Ex. 15:24 "There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron." (Ex. 16:2) "Then Moses told them, 'Do not keep any of it until morning.' But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning." (ex. 16:19-20)

What's with all of this?

"It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him." Ex. 15:25 "I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions." Ex. 16:4

"Pencils Down!" so, how did the Israelites do? They had their test. How did they respond? I find it interesting that usually their first line of attack is toward their leader. From yesterday's reading, when the Egyptians are in hot pursuit, "...they said to Moses, 'Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn't we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, "Leave us alone!..."'" (Ex. 14:11-12)

Wow! What's with the whining? "are we there yet? are we there yet?"

I think we too easily forget that the challenges in our lives are for the purpose of testing us. They are for the purpose of refining us. This testing "proves" what's inside us. Do we believe what we believe? Do we believe what we know? Remember that God was using the challenges of the wilderness to increase the faith of the Israelites, and to teach them the priceless value of living in obedience. Our experiences are for the same purpose.

Jesus says in Matthew 22: "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!" (Matt. 22:2-3)

The story goes on and in verse 11 it says, "But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 'Friend,' he asked,'how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?' But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

Pencils down.

A time is coming soon, and it's more real than we think. The trumpet will sound "The Pencils Down March", and we will have had our chance. We will have had every opportunity to respond in a Godly way. We will have had every chance to live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. We will have had the opportunity to live in Relationships Devoted to Unity, or to complain against our leaders. To be Empowered through Biblical Training, or to skip church and devotions, and live the undisciplined life. To live Active Ministry Involvement or to squander the gifts we've been given. To live out our Mission to reach our World for Christ, or to ramble aimlessly without bringing Glory to God.

What's your test score going to look like?

Pencils Down.




Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ