This week I was drawn to Exodus 20, where we are reminded to serve the fullest picture of Yahweh our Elohim. What is that fullest picture you may ask? I believe it is stated in the beginning and ending of the first four commands. A message of descriptive hope and love that explains the commands found between them.
Please meditate on the following verses (Exodus 20:1-7) every day leading up to this Sabbath. Let His Name begin to resonate with you, then measure your outlook.
“I AM (Yod Hey Vav Hey) the LORD your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt the house of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.
You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me (deny me), but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain (“shav” to be empty or worthless) for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”
Ask yourself the following three questions:
- How has the Mighty outstretched hand been nailed to the cross for you?
- Are you willing to take hold of His hand in your life and live?
- How have you made His name either worthless or mighty?
Following these four commands, we have six more commands that tell us how to love the people around us—our neighbor. Now let me ask these last two questions?
- Is it possible to truly love your neighbor if you haven’t accepted the source of love?
- If you haven’t accepted His love in your life, how can you make a change to do so? What would this look like?
Be blessed,
Rollyn