What will you become when you get older? It is the question of every child. And then life goes by in an instant and you become older. Did we become that man and woman we longed to become? Did we fulfil the potential within us? Do we still walk with Him?
“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.” (Hosea 9 v 10)
God found Israel as a faithful and fruitful people. I have never found grapes in a desert though I would imagine it would be a wonderful thing. I have grown things and got excited at the early signs of the fruit or the vegetable poking up out of the ground. I know what this means. It is exciting and hopeful.
Sadly I also know that those early signs can come to nothing. I know that as a below-average gardener and I know that as a Church Pastor.
Baal Peor was a watershed moment. The reason being is that it is one of the last sinful acts of their ancestors which led to the death of that generation. It is found in Numbers 25. It is similar to the golden calf in Exodus and has the same consequences because the wages of sin is death not because God enjoys punishing but sin has its consequences.
It is never how you start but it is always if you are still running the race when you are at the end.
Missions Paul 