Bibledoorajar: God Rules/ God's rules

Don't Give God Instructions: Just Show Up For Duty

Church Sign, Texas

     A few days ago, I had to run to the local store. As I left home, I told myself I had to hurry because it looked like rain was imminent. As I arrived at the store and got out of my vehicle, a black cloud hovered, thunder clapped, and lightning spread the sky. It was to my back and was so loud that I felt the lightning might strike me. In reality it struck a tower on top of a school about a mile away. But it was so awesome and its' magnitude so great that it produced fear in me. Afraid, I missed my step and stumbled into the storefront. Whew, I wasn't hurt, but I sure was glad the God behind that lightning loved me!

     It seems that when God spoke His Ten Commandments, He wanted to do it in a similar awesome fashion. The Word says a boundary was set at the Mount and no one dare cross. Darkness came over them and lightning spread the skies. Thunder roared. Trumpets sounded. If God wanted to make it clear that He was Superior and that His people had a duty to Him, could there have been a more dreadful way? Can you hear the words of God in that desert? Does it all scare you a bit? We would be wise to remember how God starts out reminding them that He is their Lord who loved them enough to deliver them from bondage. What follows is His desire to have a people who love and and respect Him. The Ten Commandments tell us what God thought that love and respect should entail.

     After God drew near and gave the earth His only begotten Son, the Son's disciples had a conversation with the Son as to how they should pray. How should they speak with their awesome God and Father. To this request, Jesus replied saying start it like this: 

 "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven"

Christ was saying we can never forget God rules and God has rules. But beneath this is a foundation of love that will give us our daily bread and forgive our trespasses. Keeping rules may be hard and sometimes we may want to be in control, but having the One who rules as Father is definitely worth keeping rules. He makes it clearer and, yes, easier as the days go by.