Anything that comes between God and us that compromises our walk with him is a god to us. We are saying, “You’re not really enough for this situation, Lord. You are not providing for me or protecting me or fulfilling me in the ways that I need, so I am bringing this other god into my life to close the gap between your inadequacy and my needs.”
– Jani Ortlund in His Loving Law, Our Lasting Legacy
Ouch!
In Sunday School, my church has started a study on the Ten Commandments. As a result, you will be seeing lots of quotes and thoughts on the Ten Commandments during the next several weeks. This past Sunday was an introduction.
Jani Ortlund has a wonderful book on how to pass on the Ten Commandments to our children. In it, she suggests three things we should do with the Ten Commandments:
The first thing we should do is listen to his words… Listening is communing with God. It is seeing reality from his perspective…
The second thing we should do is love his words… Open, eager cherishing of God’s words leads us into deeper intimacy with him. Loving his words is experiencing life in his presence…
The third thing we should do is leave his words. His words are for listening, for loving, and also for leaving a legacy to the children in our lives… Intentional, insightful teaching of God’s words brings our families into a sacred accountability with God. It is passing on a way of life that will last forever.
So how are we doing in our response to God’s words? Are we listening? Do we love them? Are we passing them on to the next generation?
Brian J. Mikul 