Time to Feel Good About How Well We Obey

Okay! None of us enjoy someone telling us what to do all the time. I’ve heard plenty of jokes about the hen-pecked man who cowers at his towering, overbearing wife. Seems he would rather “obey” her than deal with the consequences. But, really, most people don’t like being told what to do.

Especially as we grow up, rules seem less necessary and even a little stuffy. There’s just this part of us that wants to keep the rules, but maybe find ways to bend them without breaking them. I was really inspired a few weeks ago when I heard a message on the Sabbath Day commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God." It is a commandment like the others -- so when I'm working and not resting and keeping it holy, then I'm disobeying. I know that God gave us the commandments as a set of life-giving guidelines that when we keep them, we'll find the greatest pathways to living a blessed life. He gave them to us in the context of love.

The Ten Commandments (get that -- commandments – not suggestions) were given to God’s children – not as an overbearing tyrant Who gives unreasonable demands on His subjects, but as a loving, caring, giving father or mother or husband or wife to the ones they love so much.

When I think of the Ten Commandments, I think about the Psalmist's words in Psalm 19:7-14: “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is GREAT REWARD.”

I love that! So many promises from God Who wants us to succeed and be blessed in every area of our lives. So, of course, the Psalmist’s words here are filled with excitement about RULES! WHAT? Who gets excited about rules? We should. When it comes to God’s decrees, says the Psalmist, nothing could be better. They are more precious than gold and silver, sweeter than honey. He goes so far as to yearn for God’s commands, as if to say, “More! Give me more!”

Notice the Psalmist has a lot of different words for the Law: statutes, precepts, decrees, commands. It’s not just a matter of commandments that we have to follow. It’s a way of life that brings fulfillment and peace. That's cause for rejoicing. I mean -- just pick any commandment. What would be the long-term results of disregarding it? Pain, brokenness, separation from others and from God. Now, contrast this with the benefits of following that commandment. A healthy relationship with God, a stable family life, relationships of trust with others, a balanced life. God’s decrees really are sweeter than honey!

Maybe we should take some time today to think about how well we keep those commandment and are seeing the good fruit that is borne in our lives because of our obedience. And if we’re slacking – then it’s time to express our need for forgiveness and becoming a loving follower of God so that He can bless us with so many good and tasty things – like that sweet honey from the honeycomb.

“Father, thank you for loving us so much that you gave us the ways of experiencing your blessings here and forever.”

Commandments or Keys to a Blessed Life?

My word for today is COMMANDMENT: an authoritative command or order; mandate; precept.

What was God thinking? Ten Commandments to live by? After all, we have just one life to live and shouldn’t we live it with no restrictions and no holds barred? Weren’t they just suggestions? Those questions almost seem sacrilegious, don’t they?

By the same token, why do we COMMAND our children: “Look both ways before you cross the street” and “DO NOT touch that burner on the stove” and “DO NOT put that screw driver into the electric socket”. Are those commandments or are they words of wisdom and great love to keep them from harm?

I’ve been pondering how great God’s love was for us when He gave Moses the Ten Commandments. He loved His children so much that He wanted them to be blessed beyond measure and spared the pain of regret and harm. Here’s a reminder of those COMMANDMENTS:
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6, You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

Like we give our children COMMANDMENTS, God gave us the Commandments to protect us from harm – mentally, physically, and spiritually. I think about the protection, peace, joy, being close with God, hearing His voice, having daily sweet communion with our Father and experiencing the comfort of “It is well with my soul” when we obey and keep those keys to a blessed life. It truly baffles me that anyone could object to them unless they are willing to be subjected to harm, loss of peace, and destruction.

If the Ten Commandments weren’t setting the bar high enough, what in the world was Jesus thinking when He came up with an even “stiffer” set of commandments in Matthew 5:21-48? “Do not murder” wasn’t enough because Jesus said, “Anyone who is ANGRY with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” Apparently, “Do not commit adultery” wasn’t enough because Jesus said, “I tell you that anyone who LOOKS at a woman lustfully, has already committed adultery.” And, I might add, He even said “If your eyes cause you to stumble, gouge it out.” YIKES!!

Yes, Jesus raised the bar on the Ten Commandments and took them to a new level by wrapping them all up in one concise GREAT COMMANDMENT: “You shall love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31). He taught that everything is summed up in love of God, love of self, and love of neighbor.

Before His death on the cross, He reminded his disciples of that COMMANDMENT in even more concise words: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34).

Here is the crux of what I’m trying to say to my dear friends and family today. God didn't create us for mediocrity. He created us in His image -- He makes the impossible, possible. He makes can't, can. There's nothing mediocre about Him. His expectations for us are extremely HIGH! Why should we be satisfied with a just-get-by mindset, when we have a Father who is unlimited and abounding in love and favor toward us? He desires that we live and experience an abundant life of blessings. He wants us free from heartache and pain. If we want to protect our children from anything harmful – how much more does our Heavenly Father want to bless us? And, if He didn't think it were possible, He would have never set such high standards for us. That's raising the bar. God didn’t set the bar high so that we would fail. He did it to show how high He can take us! We'll have to stretch out of our comfort zone, but the benefits of stretching gives us rewards beyond our greatest expectations.