commands | My Everyday God

When He finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.

– Exodus 31:18

Today I am thankful that God is the lawgiver.

When God set apart and called out the Israelites as His own special possession, it was God who established their laws. God redefined their way of life and methods of worship. He became their center, and their success, survival and satisfaction radiated out from God’s presence.

God led the people to Mount Sinai, where He literally spoke His commands for all to hear. Exodus 20:18 records, “All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.” God’s awesome power was overwhelming to the people, and so Moses went alone up the mountain, where God personally met with him and gave His law.

God is our ultimate authority. He IS truth, and is the only One worthy to establish justice and order. Man’s rules will always have weaknesses because we are imperfect. God is holy and without blemish. His standards highlight our need for Him.

I may not always like God’s rules. I may not understand His commands. I might struggle with how to live out His instructions in a culture that has drifted so far from God’s standard. But, I am not God! I did not create the universe. I did not send my Son to redeem mankind. I do not determine eternity. My agreement with God’s laws has nothing to do with it. HE is God. He sets the rules. I am to obey.

My life is not determined by those around me. My life is found in Jesus Christ. He is both the lawgiver and the fulfillment of the law. I will choose to trust and follow Him.

Our family devotion time yesterday morning was about following rules and why obeying God matters. As we finished praying, I decided to ask Jackson for help in creating “Family Rules” that we would post in a prominent place in our home to remind us of how we are to act and love each other as a family.

Jackson took the mission to heart, and carefully thought of these rules. Each are his own words.

These are the rules Jackson thought were important for our family.

In the formation of these six guidelines, it helped that there were several instances to exercise them. For instance, Lauren came and interrupted by coloring on the rules, and Jackson had to not fight with her and be kind.

Rules aren’t meant to restrict. They are to free us from our sin entanglements and enable us to live the abundant life promised to us. Throughout Scripture, God places an emphasis on obedience and following Him. In the second letter of John, the beloved disciple, we are encouraged and warned of the priority of obeying Christ’s commands. In fact, when we follow His directions, God’s love is perfected.

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.

– 1 John 2:3-6

In our Family Rules, Jackson’s suggestions are very simple. Yet, we will each need God’s strength and presence in our lives to see them through.

In fact, we’ve already broken every one of them. Each of us (me included) has a great deal of growing to do!