Exodus 19 & 20 “Love Before Law”

S = Exodus 19:4-6, 8

You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” ⁸“…All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do…”

Exodus 20:1-2, 24

And God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery… In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.”

O = It has been noted that in God’s plan love came before the law, faith came before obedience. In these chapters, best known for containing the Ten Commandments (Ch. 20) as given on Mt. Sinai, God’s care for Israel is the context. The metaphor of being born up on eagles wings (19:4) is a deeply affective revelation of God’s sovereign care for his people. He loves them and has brought them to this place where they can freely respond to his deliverance by entering into a binding covenant with Yahweh or not. They chose to do all that God had said. We should all know the Ten Commandments by memory. [Many years ago, Dick Scott taught the church how to memorize them (in order) on our ten fingers about and I still remember…as do my former IML students.] I observe that the first four commands focus on our vertical relationship with God and the last six commands bring order to our horizontal relationships with others. This was the foundation of the law code for the nation of Israel. But even more, it was to be a path for God’s coming to bless his people (20:24).

A = Too often I slip into thinking and living like the plan of God is designed for me to somehow work my way into God’s holy presence instead of remembering that His plan was to come down to us. He is the Good Shepherd, the Lover and Pursuer of my soul! From Eden onward he has sought to come to his people and bless them. This week I rest in his care, putting my trust in his saving grace on my behalf. If I respond to the love he has poured out by his Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) in kind, these commandments will be evident in my life. I will love God and love my neighbor, not because it is commanded but because I am loved first by God that changes everything. I will not have to grasp lesser loves for myself in wrong and harmful ways. I will review the Ten Commandments (on my fingers) again this week with an open heart ready to repent of any way that I am resisting his desire to come to me and bless me.

P = O Lord, open my eyes to see my own weaknesses so that I can bring them to you in humility. Open my ears to hear your loving encouragement and direction. Open my mouth to speak with you honestly. Breathe into my nostrils afresh your living Spirit that I might be more like you for my own works are dead in comparison. May others sense your presence in my life and may they be blessed by your love through me this week. Thank you for working these miracles! Amen.