Revisiting the Ten Commandments =============================== Read Deuteronomy 5:1-33 ======================= “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the LORD your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. “Honor your father and mother, as the LORD your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” / (Deuteronomy 5:7-16) Reflect ======= Many of God’s commands involve honoring others. And honoring them in the right order is important. First, honor God. Then, honor your parents. Part of honoring God is keeping a clear vision of him and placing him in the center of our lives. How would you feel if someone took a picture of you, framed it, stared at it a lot, showed it to others, but completely ignored the real you? God does not want to be treated this way either. He wants a genuine relationship with us. He wants us to know him. God knows that if we put anything other than him at the center of our lives, we will not reach our potential and become all that he wants us to be. We are familiar with the sin to be avoided in this commandment—“You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God” by saying it in an empty or worthless way. But a positive command is implied: praise God’s name and give him glory. This is the opposite of misusing his name. While we might be able to keep from cursing, we should consider how well we have done at finding time to praise God and honor his name. Obeying our parents is our main task when we are young, but honoring them should continue even beyond their death. One way to honor parents is to provide for them in times of financial need or when they are ill and unable to care for themselves. Another way to honor them is to pass on their godly values to your own children. Respond ======= Are your words and actions bringing honor to God? Are they showing respect for your parents? Who are you putting first in your life?
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:50:16 +0000
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