[emphasis mine]
This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received LIVING WORDS to pass on to us. But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:  ‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

As Stephen continues on in his defense of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, he is telling not only the story of Moses, but the story of the Jews. Time and again God has raised up a leader, they become comfortable outside of their oppression, and they turn their backs on God. They did this before entering the Promised Land, because they were afraid of the giants in the land. They also rejected God by making golden gods to worship, while Moses was on the mountain with God to receive the Ten Commandments.

The last was such a sinful choice for them. While Moses was receiving the very living words of God, by which life comes through obedience to his law, the people chose to worship the gods of this world that bring death. They paid for their rebellion that day, as God sent poisonous snakes into their camp to kill them. Only Moses was able to petition with God for him to save the repentant who looked to the snake on a pole.

How has God shown himself to you in real ways? By his creation, his provision, his mighty acts, or maybe his truth found in the Bible? Or maybe a true and devoted follower of Jesus had an impact on you?

Today, we have a choice to make. We can be blown around with the popular winds of the day, or we can hide ourselves in the fortress that is The Love of God and hold onto the truth in his Word as a prized possession. What will I choose? How about you?

Lord, thank you that you have given us the truth in your Word, the Bible, to show us the way to true joy and eternal happiness with you! Help me to stay faithful and not to turn away when life gets difficult.