Accepting God’s Rules

July 5, 2009

Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:1 – 27
Lesson Passage: Deuteronomy 5:1 – 9a, 11 – 13, 16 – 21

Do we truly think about phrases such as “God, who is the head of my life…” and “my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…” when we say them or hear others use them? These phrases indicate a personal relationship with God that is ideal but not always desired or sought after by many professing Christians. What do I mean by “not always desired or sought after…”? Do all professing Christians truly want to turn their lives over to be managed by another? Surely we know many church members that refuse to go to auxiliary meetings or rehearsals because someone told them that their attendance was required. The fact is I know many professing Christians who absolutely refuse to allow anyone to give them directions. Some of them will volunteer to do anything yet will not do one thing that someone else asks of them. We live in a society that functions on rules and regulations but many citizens detest the very notion that someone would dare try to tell them what to do. This same attitude that is found in society also finds its way into local church congregations. We readily accept Jesus as our savior and, in fact, enjoy hearing the story of how he died out on Calvary to save us from our sins. Do we readily turn our lives over to him and allow him to be Lord or ruler over our “personal” affairs? We profess that we love Jesus but Jesus said if we love him then we would keep his commandments—or, in other words, allow him to be Lord over us. This is not suggesting ethical rules such as the Ten Commandments but practical instructions that we have been taught from the bible since we were children. We were taught to obey them that have the rule over us for they watch for our souls. We were taught to pray for governments because they have been ordained by God. We were taught to pray for our enemy and to give to those that are in need. We were taught to submit ourselves one to another in the fear of God. We are not ignorant of what God expects of us. We just don’t like to do it at all times. So, do we truly think about phrases such as “God, who is the head of my life…” and “my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…” when we say them or hear others use them? That’s good religious talk but many, if not most, of us have not arrived at the point that our talk lines up with our walk or lifestyle. The older I get the more I see new meaning in the biblical doctrine that we, Christians, must die daily to ourselves. We daily mortify self to allow the Spirit of Christ to have larger rule in us. This is part of the sanctification process. This process is effective in us when we allow God’s rules to direct our path. Then, Jesus is truly our Lord and God is the head of our lives.

Our lesson today revolves around part of God’s instructions to Israel prior to allowing them to enter into the Promise Land. These instructions provided the ethical and moral foundation that Israel was expected to accept and obey. These are not new instructions but those they had received from God about forty years earlier. Here, Moses is reminding them of when and how they received those rules. He is also providing some explanation as to the reason and importance of specific rules. Israel was reminded that God made them a special group when he delivered those laws to them since no other nation had ever received such direct instructions from God. Now, all that remained was for Israel to accept God’s rules.

Robert C. Hudson
June 11, 2009