This morning as I was reading further in Exodus 20, through the Ten Commandments, I was struck by something. As you read each commandment, it really gets down to being a heart issue. All of them are about the heart.
Sure many of them talk about actions and things we aren't supposed to do. But even with those ones, it really does come down to the heart. Because if our heart isn't right, doing or not doing the right things won't last and won't mean much while they're doing them.
Elsewhere in Scripture, God clearly states that He wants the hearts of His people, not just their actions.
"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6)
God spoke these words to Israel when their actions were right, but their hearts weren't.
I don't think God's desire for us has changed. He still wants the hearts of His people over actions that mean little or nothing. And so much of how He calls us to live in this world comes down to a heart issue.
We can do the right thing for a while, but if our heart isn't in it, it won't last.
So, I'm left with a couple of questions to ponder that I'll leave for you as well:
Where is my heart? Do I need to ask God to change my heart so my actions have some real meaning?
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Five Minute Friday: Listen
Joining in with Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Baker's blog again this week. This week's word is "listen."
I wasn't sure if I was going to join in this week. This weekend is a busy one, but when I read the word for this week it resonated with the reason why my weekend is a busy one.
I'm at an Encounter God retreat with my church. And so much of the weekend is about exactly what the word for this week is all about.
Listen.
It's something we don't always do well. Sometimes with each other. And oftentimes with God.
We struggle to listen. We just want to get our "quiet time" over with, so we can get on with life. And so we don't often take the time to stop and listen. We don't stop talking for long enough to hear what God may trying to say to us.
But, just how much are we missing when we do that?
I often liken it to going for coffee with a friend and all you do is sit down and tell them everything you can think of that you want to share with them. Then, when you're done, and before they begin to talk themselves you get up and leave.
That's not really a way to have a friendship with someone. You can't have a friendship if all you do is talk. You have to learn to listen to really be a friend.
The same is true with God. We have to learn to listen to Him if we want to have a relationship with Him. We can't just " spill the beans" and then get up and walk away. We have to give Him time to speak to and listen for what He has to say to us.
I wasn't sure if I was going to join in this week. This weekend is a busy one, but when I read the word for this week it resonated with the reason why my weekend is a busy one.
I'm at an Encounter God retreat with my church. And so much of the weekend is about exactly what the word for this week is all about.
Listen.
It's something we don't always do well. Sometimes with each other. And oftentimes with God.
We struggle to listen. We just want to get our "quiet time" over with, so we can get on with life. And so we don't often take the time to stop and listen. We don't stop talking for long enough to hear what God may trying to say to us.
But, just how much are we missing when we do that?
I often liken it to going for coffee with a friend and all you do is sit down and tell them everything you can think of that you want to share with them. Then, when you're done, and before they begin to talk themselves you get up and leave.
That's not really a way to have a friendship with someone. You can't have a friendship if all you do is talk. You have to learn to listen to really be a friend.
The same is true with God. We have to learn to listen to Him if we want to have a relationship with Him. We can't just " spill the beans" and then get up and walk away. We have to give Him time to speak to and listen for what He has to say to us.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
God has Rescued Us
Exodus 20 is the chapter where God gives Moses the Ten Commandments. And for most of my life, I've skimmed the first couple of verses, so I could get right into what the Ten Commandments are. I didn't so it intentionally, but I thought I was getting to the important part.
Yesterday, when I began reading that chapter, I found myself stopping on the second verse. I didn't even make it to the first commandments, but I felt like God was telling me to stop there and spend some time on that verse. As I did, it felt like God was reminding me of something very important.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." (Exodus 20:2)
Less than twenty words, yet it contains so much.
"I am . . ."
God was declaring that He was speaking about Himself - about Who He is.
I sometimes wonder if, when he heard God start a statement this way, Moses went back to his encounter with God as the burning bush in Exodus 3. In verse 14 of that chapter, God tells Moses to identify Him as, "I AM WHO I AM . . . I AM has sent me to you." I think after an experience like a burning bush, Moses would remember it every time God started something with these words.
". . . the . . ."
A seemingly insignificant little word, but so important. Using this word says there is only one of what follows.
". . . LORD . . .:
In most English translations, this word is in all uppercase letters, indicating that the word used is Yahweh. The Israelite's most valued and honoured name for God. God was making sure there was no doubt in their minds Who He was.
". . . your . . ."
It was personal. God wasn't just the Lord of some people somewhere. He was the Lord of Israel. He declared Himself to be that, and in the process, declared them to be His.
". . . God . . ."
He was the One they were to worship. The One they were to follow.
After making sure they knew Who He was, God took the rest of this verse to remind them of what He had done for them.
". . . who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
He had rescued them from their captivity - from their slavery. He reminded the Israelite's why He was so important to them and why He was "the LORD [their] God."
As I read and pondered this verse yesterday, I realized God was using this verse from His Word to speak specifically to me. God had the same message for me, that He started with when He gave the Israelites before He gave them the Ten Commandments.
He is the Lord my God, Who brought me out of the land of my captivity, out of the land of my slavery.
That's a pretty awesome message to be reminded of. God is my God. And He has rescued from so much. He has pulled me out of where I was trapped because of Who He was.
Maybe that is the same message God has for you today.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of [your captivity], out of the land of [your bondage].
Yesterday, when I began reading that chapter, I found myself stopping on the second verse. I didn't even make it to the first commandments, but I felt like God was telling me to stop there and spend some time on that verse. As I did, it felt like God was reminding me of something very important.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." (Exodus 20:2)
Less than twenty words, yet it contains so much.
"I am . . ."
God was declaring that He was speaking about Himself - about Who He is.
I sometimes wonder if, when he heard God start a statement this way, Moses went back to his encounter with God as the burning bush in Exodus 3. In verse 14 of that chapter, God tells Moses to identify Him as, "I AM WHO I AM . . . I AM has sent me to you." I think after an experience like a burning bush, Moses would remember it every time God started something with these words.
". . . the . . ."
A seemingly insignificant little word, but so important. Using this word says there is only one of what follows.
". . . LORD . . .:
In most English translations, this word is in all uppercase letters, indicating that the word used is Yahweh. The Israelite's most valued and honoured name for God. God was making sure there was no doubt in their minds Who He was.
". . . your . . ."
It was personal. God wasn't just the Lord of some people somewhere. He was the Lord of Israel. He declared Himself to be that, and in the process, declared them to be His.
". . . God . . ."
He was the One they were to worship. The One they were to follow.
After making sure they knew Who He was, God took the rest of this verse to remind them of what He had done for them.
". . . who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
He had rescued them from their captivity - from their slavery. He reminded the Israelite's why He was so important to them and why He was "the LORD [their] God."
As I read and pondered this verse yesterday, I realized God was using this verse from His Word to speak specifically to me. God had the same message for me, that He started with when He gave the Israelites before He gave them the Ten Commandments.
He is the Lord my God, Who brought me out of the land of my captivity, out of the land of my slavery.
That's a pretty awesome message to be reminded of. God is my God. And He has rescued from so much. He has pulled me out of where I was trapped because of Who He was.
Maybe that is the same message God has for you today.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of [your captivity], out of the land of [your bondage].
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