May the mumbling commence!
Limitations can be freeing. In Exodus chapter 19, Israel approaches the mountain of the Lord – where Moses first saw the burning bush. The cycle of life had brought Moses back to this pivotal place with the entire nation of Israel with him – just as the Great I Am promised him.
Since memory can be quite selective, God reminded Israel to remember their deliverance from Egypt – a deliverance worked by the mighty arm of the Lord. Then, God asked Israel to consecrate themselves in preparation to be a kingdom of priests. Priests do not, at their best, exist for themselves. Their calling is to cultivate a relationship between God and others. So, if the entire nation is priests, then who would be God’s people? Israel existed as God’s specially chosen people so that they would draw all peoples and nations to faith in the Lord. Today, the Christian church helps to fulfill that function as well. How do we prepare when we are about to enter the presence of the Lord? Israel took two days to prepare. They cleaned their clothes and abstained from sexual contact. How do I prepare myself for worship on Saturday night and Sunday morning? Do I even begin my preparations for my Sabbath with the Lord two days in advance? Usually not. I do clean myself and make sure I have clean clothes on.
How do I prepare myself before I leave my house each day to move about in the community and do my work? Yes, worship of the Lord is not confined to Sunday mornings. As I move about the community as a consumer and as a school bus driver, it matters how I treat those around me. These interactions are important because I am a part of the priesthood of saints. I am one representative of Christ Jesus that people around me see. These interactions help to prepare me for worship on Sunday morning, and the worship and fellowship on Sunday morning help prepare me for these interactions that happen in between Sundays. I am called to follow Christ Jesus 24/7. A portion of that 24/7 is to be spent in Sabbath, which we will see in the next chapter. Rest is an important need that this culture needs to hear – one I need to hear.
In Exodus chapter 20, the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words are found. They underscore everything that has come to pass and lay out the path of faith for the future. The Ten Words begin with a reminder of the saving acts of the Lord God. These saving acts are the motivation behind the rest of the commandments or words. Originally, the ten words were written on a tablet in two columns, with five words in each column. So, one and six are pairs (as well as two and seven, three and eight, four and nine, and five and ten).
Some scholars look at the Ten Commandments and see a neat division between those related to our relationship with God (one through four) and those related to our relationship with each other (five through ten). On the surface, these divisions look obvious; but a deeper look will reveal that the division is artificial. In the second commandment, Israel is set a limit that they are not to make idols in the form of anything. If they do create idols, they will not only affect themselves but also their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sure sounds like this commandment deals with more than our relationship with God. Individual sins do affect the entire community for generations.
What about misusing the name of God? It deals with far more than using the actual name of the Lord to swear. It also deals with our conduct in relation to others. You shall not work nor shall you ask your children, your employees, or your “illegal” immigrants to work. You should not even ask your animals to work. This commandment goes beyond our relationship with God to affect our relationship with others – our priestly work. As we look into the Scriptures this year, we will also find a crucial link between idolatry and adultery (one of the pairs).
These limits before us help us to live the life that God created us to live. When we live in this way, we taste of eternal life. Eternal life is not only a length of life (I wouldn’t want to live the lifestyle of this world forever!) but is also a quality of life. I give thanks for these limits upon my life, so I can live more fully. May I not seek to “push the envelope” of God’s limits upon my life, because it will not be only me that suffers but also all those around me.
There is freedom in limits. I do not need to play God. I am not God, and that is a good thing! May I limit my narcissism, my anger, and my wrath. When I leave these things behind, I will have energy to spare for loving God and neighbor…
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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