Text: Exodus 20
There’s a long list of phrases my mom always said that I promised myself I would never say should I become a parent.
“If ‘so and so’ asked you to jump off a bridge, would you?”
“Just wait until your father gets home!”
And the worst of the worst:
“Because I said so!”
That always felt like such a copout. I vowed that I’d have a more concrete reason for what I’m sure my kids feel are silly rules for our household. Because I like to think that our house rules, much like the Ten Commandments as given to Moses by God in Exodus, are rules that have an invaluable purpose.
As Paul explains in Romans, the Commandments are a perfect expression of God’s will for His children. There’s no guesswork. Simply put, we can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for ourselves, our very human nature prevents it. We just don’t have what it takes. And like Paul admits, we have this uncanny ability to dress up the things we shouldn’t do and make them look like things we should do.
Enter my mind for a moment:
“Wanting designer skinny jeans like my girlfriend has just motivates me to work harder. And really, if I put in some extra time working hard on a Sunday, it just gets me closer to that pair of skinny jeans. Me talking to our other girlfriend about how much our friend paid for those jeans? We’re both Christians, so in a way, it’s just a form of fellowship!”
Yes, sin will get the best of us. Even with rules in place (and most certainly without rules in place), no one can defeat it.
Except for one.
Jesus.
He overcomes every broken commandment. Those we broke as children. Those we broke as adults. Those we have yet to break as participants in this fallen world.
Jesus is greater.
Because if God asked Him to hang on a cross, he would.
Because He can’t wait until we get home to our Father.
Because God said so.
Oh how this brings back so many things of my own past! This also helps me with my children. Thanks & PTL
So true. We absolutely cant be trusted to do what is best. I certainly cannot. Needed this reminder.
This post has me written all over it!! I have no problems justifying my jealousy and gossiping. It is a hard habit to break but thankfully Jesus is working in me to break those habits.
I guess what i like about what paul says is the impossibility of being perfect of doing good of being self righteous. This impossibility invokes the power of jesus. Like the old amy grant song. I have decided being good is just a fable. I just cant cause im not able. Im gonna leave it to the lord.
Romans 7:7-25 really hit home for me. It’s like I keep struggling with the same issues, the same sin, the same temptations. I know they are wrong yet I continue to do them. I now understand that I’m just feeding my flesh but instead I should be feeding my spirit with God’s word. I keep trying to fix things on my own and I can’t. I keep asking God to change me but nothing has happened but I guess as long as I keep holding on, not relying on God, and trying to do it on my own, I won’t change. Ready to let go…
We dress up our sin to make them look like we are doing the right thing. How convicting and humbling is that? I pray that God allows for me (and everyone else) to see when we are making excuses and playing the blame game. I pray that because God said so is a strong enough answer for us, that we don’t ask why, and instead be content and grateful for the ability to acknowledge our Lord and know deep down that what he is doing is in fact for our good in our lives, that he doesn’t play dress up with us, but instead builds us upon what/who we truly are, His children.
This was SO good! I read it this morning after having a discussion with some youth group kids last night about whether or not parents should be able to set rules for their kids. I’m so glad that both parents and God are able to set loving boundaries to give us an example of what’s best for us!
Praise you Dear Jesus. I can Do all things through you who strengthens me.