God gave us the Ten Commandments to teach us what it looks like to love God above all and to love our neighbors. God begins to teach us to love our neighbors with the command, “Honor your father and your mother.” Love begins at home. As we dig into the commandment, we see God’s heart that this would not be confined to the parent-child relationship, but that in all things we grow in Leading and Following Well. May God continue to Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts by his word.
The fourth commandment concerning the Sabbath is likely the most contested of the ten when it comes to interpretation and practice. Is Sunday the new Sabbath? What does it mean to honor it? As we listen to the Spirit speak through the Bible, we don't get direct answers to all our questions. We do, however, hear a gracious and serious command from God to receive and Honor the Gift of Rest. May God Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts according to his word.
God told a prophet in I Samuel Chapter 2 to prophesy against the priest Eli for the dishonorable conduct of his two sons. Eli’s family lost their place as God’s priests because of their conduct and abuse of their office. The prophet told Eli that those who honor God will receive honor, but those who don’t honor God will be disdained, or, lightly esteemed. Their names and reputations were ruined. Whom do we put first, ourselves or God? Whose reputation are we advancing, our own or God’s? Over the past three weeks we have seen God’s preeminence in the first three commandments. It’s very important that we revere Him as Lord and His name as holy. Our lives depend on it. In return, God promised that those who honor Him will also receive honor. He will give us a good name. Join us this Sunday as we dive into this truth.
The third commandment tells us not to misuse the name of the Lord. Right away that eliminates cursing and unnecessary oaths from our vocabulary. Looking deeper we see the name of the Lord is not merely a word or set of words; God’s name reveals his status and glory. This commandment goes beyond merely shaping our vocabulary to shaping our hearts so that we glorify God in all our words and works. May God Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts by his word so we grow in Guarding God’s Reputation.
In the second commandment God prohibits making any image of God or worshiping any images, which may seem like an easy task. As we look closer, we realize the scope of the command encompasses all our worship. In both action and heart, we must worship God according to how he has instructed us in the Bible. May God Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts to make him the center of our worship as we seek to “worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23)