Day 6 in the Wilderness: Show restraint

“Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32:25-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In 1965, six Tongan boarding school boys decided to interrupt their boredom by “borrowing” a fishing boat and heading out to Fiji. Their ill-conceived plan was made worse by the fact that they took no map and had very few supplies with them. Additionally, they all fell asleep and drifted into a storm that tore their sail and broke their rudder. They drifted without food and water for eight days, finally making it to the deserted island where they would spend the next 15 months.

Now, these rowdy school boys, ranging in age from 13 to 16, somehow managed to survive by coming up with a plan to which they all adhered. Being thrown into this crisis, rather than driving them further into their foolish behavior, evoked a courage and resilience far beyond their years.

As it turns out, they had come up with a plan to work in teams toward developing a strict roster of chores and duties among which was to keep a fire burning the whole time they were there.

Additionally, they developed a garden, a “badminton court,” a “gym,” a way to store fresh water, and a chicken coupe (chickens, left by Tongan people who inhabited the island before being taken as slaves 100 years before, managed to multiply on the island). No doubt, their ability to maintain order aided their survival.

Sadly, there are many stories of groups of people in crisis situations, who—rather than keeping order and working towards surviving—dissolved into chaos and disorder.

It doesn’t take much for some people to cast off restraint. But, for even the most disciplined or resolute, extreme stress or uncertainty can cause people to act the fool.

The Lord, in speaking to Jeremiah about His people, makes this observation:

“Thus says the Lord to this people: “Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish their sins.””

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭14:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Bible is full of examples where the tendency to cast off restraint gets God’s people into major trouble. We turn to one of those examples now.

Today we find that the children of Israel, having become agitated and impatient as Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, have conscripted Aaron to build a golden calf for them to worship.

We may look at their example and wonder how they could’ve done such an atrocious thing. But perhaps we are not considering the ways in which we may cast off restraint when things aren’t going exactly the way we think they should.

Frustration and/or confusion can cause people to do some ridiculous things. It’s so very important that we allow the word of God to be made real in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our circumstances should not determine whether or not we are living a spirit-controlled life. Rather, our spirit-controlled life should take authority over our circumstances.

In our opening passage, the word that is translated as “restrain” or “restraint” is the same word we see used here:

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29:18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Look at this verse in another translation:

“When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For fear of the people, Aaron failed to provide divine guidance to them. He caved to the pressure and they fell into complete unrestrained reveling. Many would pay the price for this lapse with their lives.

In whatever circumstance you may find yourself, seek and follow divine guidance from God’s word and allow the Holy Spirit to show you the way. Remember, acting the fool may prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Oh—and those Tonga boys? They also prohibited quarreling and ended each day with a song and a prayer!

For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:

Show restraint.

#40daysinthewilderness