NIV Once-A-Day Bible Men And Women Of The Bible DevotionalSample

A CROWD-PLEASER Aaron was senior pastor in a congregation of approximately half a million people, but he still made mistakes, and one of them was colossal. One day the people wanted an idol — ​something physical and visible — ​around which to rally, and Aaron gave in. He supervised construction of the golden calf. He did not even raise a protest or urge an alternative. Had Aaron lost his marbles? Confronted by Moses, he certainly tried to play the part of innocent bystander caught in the middle of a movement bigger than he could stop. It was as if the people had thrown him their gold, and presto! — ​here’s this calf thing. “Due to circumstances beyond my control” may be a reasonable excuse for losing an umbrella in a hurricane, but there’s no good reason to entertain pagan worship. Aaron, spiritual leader of Israel, should have stood stronger for God’s truth. The lesson he learned carried a high price. Aaron is an example of what can happen when we let the popular wind blow us away — ​far away — ​from God’s ideal for us. Aaron should have and could have held on. God would have seen to the rabble rebels. In this new year, when “isms” or ideologies can sometimes appear appealing, keep your loyalty rooted in the one true God. PRAYER Heavenly Father, keep me loyal to you . . . READ Aaron’s story is told in Exodus 1:1 — ​Deuteronomy 10:6 (the story of the Golden Calf is located in Exodus 32). Aaron is also mentioned in Hebrews 5.