Chapter
Seven
The Ten
Commandments are like a protective fence.
When I was a young
Christian I remember this comedian talking about the 10 Commandments. He talked about how hard it was to not do the
don’ts. He said the more he tried to not
do the don’ts the more don’ts he did. No
matter how hard he worked to not do the don’ts the more he did them!
So one day he saw
that there were a lot of do’s in the Bible.
God called us to do so many things and that is where he found the answer
to his dilemma. He said that the more
time he spent doing the do’s left him with less time to do the don’ts! So now he spent so much time doing the do’s
that he didn’t have enough time to do the don’ts! WOW!
“35 ¶ Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. 36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. 37 ¶ Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. 38 ¶ Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You. 39 ¶ Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are good. 40 ¶ Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.” (Psalm 119:35-40 NKJV)
But here is another
lesson from farmland America. At my
first charge we were talking about the 10 Commandments and someone brought up
that many people thought that the 10 Commandments were a sign God wanted to
keep people in their place and not let them have fun.
How does a young pastor
respond to that? To a certain degree we
all believe that God is sort of an ultimate kill joy. We see God as the ultimate parent who doesn’t
understand “younger” people and their “needs” (Isn’t it interesting that what
we desire always quickly becomes a need?)
So I asked these
farmers why they built such tight fences for their cows. Did they want to keep the cows from being
free? Did they want to keep their cows
from the cows they wanted to be with?
Did they want to keep the cows from the “better” fields around them?
Their response was
striking. I will list them to help you
understand their concern for their cows and for their safety:
- The fences kept the cows from wandering off and getting hurt by cars and trucks on the road.
- The fences kept the cows from getting into other fields which might have dangerous plants that could injure or even kill them.
- The fences kept the cows from mixing with other cattle that may not have been adequately protected and expose them to dangerous diseases.
- The fences kept the cows within a safe space and even protected them from themselves!
- The fences made it harder for them to be stolen by someone who was only interested in their own agenda and didn’t really care about the cows.
The farmers were quick
to tell me that they were indeed concerned about the safety of the cows because
it was in their own best interest. But
many also stated that with ownership came a desire to not just keep them safe
but to see to their well being and comfort.
They cared about their cows!
Finding
joy inside the fence
We really are stupid so
much of the time. We seek for happiness
(a transient good feeling based on our experiences) when God offers us the
ultimate gift of joy (a peace and hope which stands even in the face of
terrible experiences).
I know many will be
offended by being called stupid but I do want you to realize that I am
admitting that about me! I wander off looking
for happiness and leave the joy of being in God’s safe pasture and risk being
killed! It is the human condition which is both the seed of the Fall as well as
the fruit!
May you find the Joy of
the Lord within the “confines” of the Ten Commandments and as scripture offers
to us may “the Joy of the Lord be your strength”!
Which of the 10 Commandments is hardest for you?
Do you see the breakdown of the 10 Commandments?
Why doesn’t God just strike us down when we sin?
What place does sin have in a Christian’s life? (Suggest you read James 1)
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