Prayer and Commitment Part I

Many people think of God as a grandfather figure waiting to dandle them on his knee and willing to tolerate any misbehavior as long as we accept him and acknowledge him in our lives. The truth is far different. God loves human beings! We are his children. But make no mistake about it God's expectations are very real. God has never changed his list of expectations from the very beginning of time.

The first time humanity got a look at God's list of expectations was when Moses came down from the mountain carrying the tables of stone that became the Ten Commandments. This is a pretty good source list and makes it pretty clear what God considers sin. An interesting look at the order in which the commandments were given gives us another look at God's priority list! Let us take a look.

Exodus 20: 2-17

2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;

3 Do not have any other gods before me.

4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,

6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

8 Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

9 For six days you shall labour and do all your work.

10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.

12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 You shall not kill

14 You shall not commit adultery.

15 You shall not steal.

16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

17 You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

The first five commandments deal with man's relationship with God. honor God, worship only God, do not make graven images, do not use the name of God inappropriately, remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.  Half of the commandments deal with man's relationship with God and instructs on relationships. These commandments are important and it is important for you to understand that God did not change his mind during the Church Age after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is also important to recognize that the next commandment deals with children honoring and respecting their parents. The world we live in today makes parental respect optional, but God never gave the green light to that one! Read verse 12 above. You will not find that it says, Honor your father and your mother if they treat you the way you believe you should be treated. It just says honor them. There is a way to  behave with honor even when you have been mistreated by your parents. God wants all of us to understand love. Godly love is something we can all share. If your relationship with your parents is not the best, try to make it better. If that is impossible, pray for your parents. You will discover that even in the worst circumstances you will find love. It is unbelievable, unimaginable, and yet it happens.

Most of the laws around the world are based on these Judeo-Christian commandments. God gave us his road map from the beginning. It is our choice whether we choose to follow along or not. God loves all of us but he is serious about obedience to his will.