“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11: 1
Things were great,
It’d really worked out
he had worked, he had struggled
and all with no doubt
He built an empire
strong and true
He loved his God
and his people too
He worked with faith
and spent his time
fully dedicated
to life sublime
The people admired
the loving dad
his beautiful family
shared all they had
success must be
a thing to give
not to hoard
a sad life to live.
He loved by example
and thus, was blessed
Life was easy
not much stress.
He grew in wealth
his business too
Many people
lives brand new
In spite of others
that jeered n’ sneered
He loved the Lord
without any fear
He spoke His name
in public places
and loved to see
the shocked, awed faces
His outward faith
was no match
for others that scoffed
became unlatched
His unwavering faith
and bravery
a great example
for all to see.
Then came the day
a trip to make
His Number 1
the company take
“I trust you with
the people here.
I’ll be back
in about a year.”
You’ve watch me guide
the people through
ups and downs.
Do as I do.”
Off he went
and things went smooth
until some folks
lost their groove
started mumbling
It’s not the same
we need more
fingers pointing blame.
“why did he go?
and leave us here?”
“We need more.”
started breeding fear.
Prayer was lost
chaos erupted
rules were bent
Minds so corrupted.
Number 1
intimidated
by the masses
self-litigated
Money was spewing
left and right
God was lost
like a thief in the night.
The company was drowning
in sin and fear
Newspapers wrote
of the toxic smear.
Word spread quickly
Mr. Moses’ way
he packed his bags
and began to pray.
He couldn’t believe
eyes full of rage
“How!?” he screamed
and tore the page
from his rule book
established with God!
How is it possible
you’d act so flawed?”
I was gone for a bit
to give you more,
and now you act
like a spoiled score?!
A bunch of animals
left stricken with fear
how dare you take God
from a place so dear
I worked for this
I put in time!
and now you repay me
with unbearable crime?
“You ungrateful sheep
all left covered in mud
how dare you Aaron?
you are my blood!
my number 1
Left to guide with grace
and now you stand there
Shame on your face
Only God can hold tight
an empire like this
you left Him behind?”
teeth clenched, so dismissed.
He walked away slowly
“Forgive them?” he asked
The sins of his people,
eyes sad and downcast.
Scolded some
fired more
Hung his head
sinful score
He spoke to his God
heartbroken and sad
He spoke like a child
advice from his dad.
How feeble they were
when I was away.
Yet, they knew I was working
advancement – new way!
Consumed by doubt,
the second I left?
Do they really have faith?
or their words, just bereft.
He turned back to his people
and arms lifted above
he spoke with these words
Still ringing, true love!
Faith lies in trusting
not believing with sight
Power in knowing
faith loves with all might.
It comes from your soul
from down-deep inside
It’s not a person,
or object, he lovingly cried!
Tears poured down his face
His truth spread far
changes made instantly
like a permanent scar
Keep your eyes upon GOD
the creator of life
Or this is your future,
full of trouble n’ strife.
He brought back faith
guided sheep back to God
Remembered his mission
and the road he had trod.
He cleaned up the mess
of those who had lost
Faith is a gift
not something that’s tossed
Weakness is forgetting
and strength can’t forget
constantly working
we can never let
fear overcome us,
remain strong against sin
lest devilish temptation
overcome deep within.
With all he could muster
Mr. Moses lived strong
and his legacy still lives
in parable and song
Exodus 32
The Golden Calf
32 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[e] 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,[f] 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.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-neckedpeople. 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.”
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”
18 Moses replied:
“It is not the sound of victory,
it is not the sound of defeat;
it is the sound of singing that I hear.”
19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘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.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”
25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
