Instructions For Life

For most of us we had some introduction with the “Ten Commandments” as children. If your childhood was anything like mine, you at least heard “Honor your mother and father.” And if your childhood was anything like mine, boy was that fifth commandment really hard to keep!

However, the Ten Commandments are more than just a set of rules handed down by God in order to rule over his creation. God handed these down to the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai three months after they had left Egypt. God in his mercy knew that the people of Israel would not be able to love God and love each other on their own. They would need something to guide them, to help them.

Is it not the same with us? Do we not also need guidelines to help us in our spiritual journey? These commandments are really the mercy and love of an infinite God who knew that we couldn’t do it on our own. He gave us ten rules to help us live out the most important commandment, “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” These Ten Commandments are not rules imposed to squelch us but they are rules to help us live the most fulfilling life in Christ and with each other that we can.