THE DAY GOD CHANGED HIS MIND

   Ever since God had destroyed the world with a flood He had been preparing 
some special people for Himself. These were not to be like other people, but He
was going to teach them how to live and even show them His power through 
miracles!
   After many years of testing them and building up their endurance, God called
His people to meet Him in the desert. God gave them Moses, a leader who wanted 
the best for them. At first the people loved it. God parted the waters for them
so that they could walk across the Red Sea. He destroyed the army of the 
Egyptians  -it seemed like nothing could stop the people as long as God was 
with them. God even provided water and sent food from Heaven for the people.
   One day God called Moses up into a mountain to teach him. Moses was to go 
back down and tell the people God's laws so that they would know how to live. 
This was the beginning of a new nation, the nation of Israel. Now the rest of 
the world could watch Israel and see how God wanted men to live. Moses was very
excited that God was going to teach him how to lead the people. As he climbed 
the mountain he thought about the big mistake he had made in choosing men to 
help him lead the people. Ever since he had done this it seemed like the people
didn't respect Moses anymore. Now that there were more helpers it seemed like 
there were more arguments among the people. Moses thought about how glad 
everyone would be when he came back to teach them God's laws.
   When God was finished teaching Moses, He gave him two pieces of stone with 
His laws written on them. Then God suddenly said, "Leave Me alone! Your people 
at the bottom of the mountain have made a statue and are saying that it is 
their God! I will destroy them and make another nation with you, Moses!"
   Moses really loved the people. He didn't want God to destroy them. He knew 
that it wouldn't help to argue with the Lord, so he carefully begged God to 
change His mind. Moses was sincere and didn't want God to make another nation. 
This showed that Moses wanted nothing for himself but that God would hear his 
request. God did change His mind and the people were punished but not 
destroyed.

Taken from Exodus 32