THE TENDER COMMANDMENTS
We have a dog named Picasso. He’s an adorable Goldendoodle who we consider a part of our family. We love him. We want him to have a fun, long life going on walks with us, barking at birds, and running around in our yard.
But there is a problem. Our house backs up to a busy street. That means our yard is surrounded by danger.
What do you do?
We have a fence around our yard, which protects him from the danger of cars barreling down the road at him. Why a fence? So Picasso can be free to play without fear.
It may sound counterintuitive, but: There is a freedom that comes with having a fence. Sometimes you have to restrict freedom to give true freedom.
God loves you.
God wants you to have a fun, long life of walking with Him.
But there is a problem. Temptation surrounds us. If we give in to temptation and sin, we lose the intimacy of walking with God and put our entire future in danger.
If you’re God, what do you do?
Out of love, God puts a fence around our behavior so that we can live full, long lives. He restricts our freedom in order to give us true freedom.
Some of those fences are for us specifically. To protect us.
Some of those fences are for the sake of others we may hurt. To protect others.
The TENder Commandments
The Ten Commandments stand alone. They are the very words of God. They form the basis for law in Western civilization.
You may know that.
What you may not realize is that God gave the Ten Commandments as an act of love.
We think of the commandments as restrictions – “Thou shalt not murder ... steal ... commit adultery.” They seem like the ultimate not-to-do list, all the prohibited things.
But the Ten Commandments are all born out of God’s love for us and are there for our protection.
To prove my point, look at how God begins the Ten Commandments with these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-3).
Before laying out his commands for His people, God wanted them to know: I am the one who rescued you. No one loves you like I do.
Why Should We Obey God’s Commands?
The Ten Commandments raise a fair question: Why should we obey God? Answering this question is essential to our long-term obedience. Let me offer you three reasons why I believe you should want to obey.
#1 The first reason to obey God is that obeying God is good for you.
His way is best, one hundred percent of the time. We benefit every time we obey the maker of all things.
It’s kind of like listening to the maker of your car. Your car manufacturer tells you to put gas in the gas tank. You could choose to disobey, to put orange juice or chocolate milk in your gas tank. You can do that as an act of your free will, but it won’t work. And it won’t be good for your car.
God’s way always works better than our own. And His commands are for our good.
#2 The second reason to obey God is because obeying God is good for others.
When we go outside of God’s boundaries, we aren’t the only ones who get hurt; others end up paying for our disobedience. God’s fences are protection for others.
If you want your life to be a blessing to those around you (think your wife, kids, family, and friends), you will want to live your life God’s way.
Otherwise, your life will harm everyone around you - including those you love the most. God’s commandments are for their good as well.
#3 The third reason to obey God is because obeying God is for God.
When I obey God, I’m saying with my actions that I love God more than I love anything else. And I am willing to do that because I know that He first loved me.
His love motivates my love in return. And His love makes it possible for me to trust Him even when I don’t understand. When I trust and obey, I give God what He deserves.
Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commands. ... Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching” (John 14:15, 24).
Jesus says if we love God, we will obey His commands, and if we obey His commands, we will experience His love.
And there is great reason to love and trust Him. The same God who led the Israelites out of slavery to the Egyptians through the Red Sea has led us out of slavery to sin through the death of Jesus!
God wants you to have a fun, long life of walking with Him. You experience that, through Jesus, as you obey His commands, and you obey His commands because you love and trust Him!
TAKE ACTION
Where have you been struggling to obey God? If you take an honest look at your life, how can you see that you’ve been losing God’s protection and blessing as a result of your disobedience? How has it hurt you? How has it hurt others? Now go through the reasons we should obey God’s commands with your particular struggle with disobedience in mind. How are you inspired to start obeying?
Watch the message “Tender Commandments” by Brad D. Jenkins at Anthem Church. YouTube
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