I. The Word: Exodus 20:1-3

1 Then God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

 

II. Reflection Questions:

1. What are some things you typically do before making major life decisions? (i.e. pray, fast, talk to friends and family, make a list of pros and cons, etc.)
2. Whom do you consider your most trusted advisor? Why?

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Before I completely surrendered my life to the Lord, I was very much a “rules-girl.” I was under the misguided conception that I had to earn my salvation by following the rules, not realizing that very mentality is essentially a slap in God’s Face.

 

“But wait, doesn’t God want me to obey Him?” you might be wondering.

 

Yes, He does, but there’s no way we can possibly do that on our own.

 

Today’s verses, while brief, are filled with keys on living in obedience to God’s Lordship. Exodus 20:1 states “Then God spoke all these words.” That gives us our first key to Lordship and Obedience…God speaks.

 

Living in obedience to God starts by listening to what He says. One of the best ways to listen for what He’s saying is by reading what He’s already spoken in the pages of the Bible. As you read, you will begin to learn God’s character and nature, who He is, and ultimately who you are. The Word of God is like a mirror. It shows us who we are.

 

Verse 2 states: “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” This also illuminates an important point: God delivers.

The reason why my trying to obey God’s rules in order to earn salvation is so abhorrent is because God is the one who saves us on His own terms, and He gets all the Glory for that.

 

I mistakenly thought that I could earn God’s love by doing everything He said. While this sounds good on the surface, it’s completely backwards! It’s only because God loved us enough to completely deliver us from sin that we are equipped and empowered to do what He says.

 

God freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery is symbolic of Him delivering us from the bondage of sin. To live an obedient life victoriously, we must get the order right. God delivers us from sin’s tyranny and then we are free to obey Him.

 

There is no way the Israelites could live in complete obedience to God while still being enslaved to the Egyptians. Egypt had its own agenda and exploited the Israelites in order to build its kingdom. Similarly, the sinful nature that every person is born with is at odds with what God wants to do, and He must unshackle us from it before we can live the victorious life in Christ.

 

God freed us from the clutches of sin by sacrificing His only begotten Son on the cross in our place. To access this freedom, we need only to believe and receive the finished work of Christ and awaken to our new identities in Christ.

 

Finally, verse 3 states “You shall have no other gods before Me.” This shows us the final step: God protects. God understands our weakness as human beings and what we can and cannot endure. I love the fact that after God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He purposely led them in a roundabout way to protect them from enemies they were not yet equipped to face:

 

“When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.” (Exodus 13:17-18)

 

Likewise, in your personal walk with God, if you are being led by Him, you can rest assured that He will not let you encounter an enemy that you’re not able to defeat. When He says “You shall have no other gods before Me,” He’s essentially giving you an opportunity to live in victory from the snares of the enemy and this world.  

 

The exclusivity of our covenant relationship with God is not a limitation, but rather it gives us the capacity to live in boundless freedom and joy.

 

Some final thoughts on obedience:

 

Obedience is not a means to an end. We don’t obey God to get something. Quite the opposite, obedience flows out of a true love relationship with God. The more you connect with God and the more you get to know Him through His Word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, etc., the more obedience will flow out of you effortlessly, not because you have to, but because you want to.

 

 

III. Prayer:

Father, forgive me for the times You were trying to tell me something and I didn’t listen. Thank You for protecting me in those situations and for making a way for me to be made right in Your sight. Please show me the areas in my life where I’m not submitted to You. Today I make a choice to follow You. Speak Lord, Your servant is listening….