Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today; you shall learn them and observe them diligently.”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, October 6, 2019
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Commandments to honor God, others, and self can be written on our heart, soul, and mind.
God’s commandments are a gift to a weary community, newly freed from slavery, and inexperienced at governing themselves. In the wilderness, they would need to learn how to live as a community in safety and with respect for God, others, and themselves. God’s commandments were the cornerstone of the laws God established to help them live and grow as a nation.
God’s commandments were also given out of love and for the sake of love. When people strove to follow them, others could live in relative safety and order. But God didn’t just want people to be familiar with God’s laws— God wanted people to know them to the core of their being—heart, soul, and might. What we practice regularly soon becomes habit, and habit becomes part of our being.
These ten commandments can be categorized in many ways—I see them as commandments to honor our relationship with God (1-3), with others (4-8), and with self (9-10).
God:
God began the discourse on God’s laws first with what God had already done for the people. God was not about to demand that the people honor God without first indicating that God honors people, too. God freed the people from slavery and delivered them on their journey toward the promised land.
In return, God wanted the people to put away the gods of Egypt many had adopted and follow only God.
Second, God asked that no one curse God. Perhaps God knew there would be days when people wanted to curse God. But God asked that we have faith that God will be faithful to us, and so we ought not lose our faith in God.
Finally, God asked that we set aside time to nurture our relationship with God.
Others: The next commandments serve to nurture our relationships with others. It lays out who and how we honor those we love and those we don’t even know.
Self: The final two commandments not to covet discourage the turmoil we put ourselves through when we desire what others have more than what we have. When we do so, we fail to have faith in our own success, our own person. This commandment reminds us that we are enough.
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