20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the LORD sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
(Moses Smashing Ten Commandments- by Rembrandt 1659)
Thoughts: It is God's grace that saves us from our oppression It is God's grace that teaches us to live in the ways we were created to live. It is God's grace that He desires we prosper and be kept alive.
Some feel that the Law is only there to repress us, to limit us, to control us, to stifle and stigmatize us. But freedom comes when we listen to the Law.
Stop lights represent the law. They may make us stop, but overall, they help with the safety and flow of traffic.
Obeying the Law also eliminates guilt. While none obey perfectly,and all sin, yet listening to what God says prevents guilt, which causes all kinds of problems. Some may say we should never feel guilty and they try to remove guilt by saying there is nothing to feel guilty about. But that is a false hope. Guilt when we break God's Law is ingrained. We cannot live for long without rules. With any rules at all, we will break them. Hypocrites, in a sense are those who break their own rules- which in some sense is all of us. The person who says they are better off for they have no rules is a fool who should not be trusted. If someone really says they have no rules- so as not to be a hypocrite- can they be trusted to not lie, or to not steal, or to not take your wife when your back is turned? If we eliminate rules, we eliminate a sense of goodness- and thus a sense of trust, integrity, and reliability. Fear the Lord that we may prosper and live in peace.
Clearly God loved and saved His people, and He does so regularly. He also saves us from ourselves by teaching us how to live that we might be guided in life about right and wrong, and into a prosperous and loving way. Jesus said if we love him, we will do what he says (Jn. 14:26).
Prayer: Help me, O God to love your boundaries. Keep me from straying away or actively rebelling against your way for me.
Thoughts: It is God's grace that saves us from our oppression It is God's grace that teaches us to live in the ways we were created to live. It is God's grace that He desires we prosper and be kept alive.
Some feel that the Law is only there to repress us, to limit us, to control us, to stifle and stigmatize us. But freedom comes when we listen to the Law.
Stop lights represent the law. They may make us stop, but overall, they help with the safety and flow of traffic.
Obeying the Law also eliminates guilt. While none obey perfectly,and all sin, yet listening to what God says prevents guilt, which causes all kinds of problems. Some may say we should never feel guilty and they try to remove guilt by saying there is nothing to feel guilty about. But that is a false hope. Guilt when we break God's Law is ingrained. We cannot live for long without rules. With any rules at all, we will break them. Hypocrites, in a sense are those who break their own rules- which in some sense is all of us. The person who says they are better off for they have no rules is a fool who should not be trusted. If someone really says they have no rules- so as not to be a hypocrite- can they be trusted to not lie, or to not steal, or to not take your wife when your back is turned? If we eliminate rules, we eliminate a sense of goodness- and thus a sense of trust, integrity, and reliability. Fear the Lord that we may prosper and live in peace.
Clearly God loved and saved His people, and He does so regularly. He also saves us from ourselves by teaching us how to live that we might be guided in life about right and wrong, and into a prosperous and loving way. Jesus said if we love him, we will do what he says (Jn. 14:26).
Prayer: Help me, O God to love your boundaries. Keep me from straying away or actively rebelling against your way for me.
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