Here are the previous
commandments we have covered. Remember the first four commandments are about
how we should love God (and our spouse if married). The last six are about how
we are to love our neighbors and ourselves.
1st Commandment “You shall have no
other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-3).
Love Command: Love is Loyal
2nd Commandment “You shall not worship idols” (Exodus 20:4).
Love Command: Love is Faithful
3rd Commandment “You
shall not take the name of the LORD in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
Love Command: Love is
Reverent4th Commandment “Keep the Sabbath holy” (Exodus 20:8).
Love Command: Love is Intimate
5th Commandment “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).
Love Command: Love is Respectful
6th Commandment “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).
Love Command: Love is Harmless
7th Commandment is
“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).
Love Command: Love is Pure8th Commandment “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15).
Love Command: Love is Selfless
9th Commandment “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
Love Command: Love is Truthful
10th Commandment “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not
covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his
ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).
Love Command: Love Is Content
Is your love toward others
content? Are you able to rejoice at their blessings and fortunes or are you constantly
wanting what they have and are angry and bitter about what they have? Maybe you
think they don’t deserve what they have. Do you think thoughts like “It’s not
fair?” Do you compare?
My precious ones, God is not
holding out on us! So many scriptures run through my mind right now that relate
to this idea of contentment and lack of it. The children of Israel being
brought out of slavery and all their complaints along the way come to mind
first. Another one is the story of King David when God uses Nathan to rebuke
him regarding Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 12:1-15. And the list goes on and on.
All lack of contentment comes back
to one thing: a disbelief that God is enough and that what He provides for us
is sufficient. I love the passage in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to
pray when it says, “Give us today our daily bread.” Wow! Do we thank Him for
our daily bread? Most people are so busy griping about what they didn’t get
yesterday and in the past and what they think they should get in the future
that they miss out on what God is doing today. Lack of contentment will cause
us to miss His presence in our lives daily!
And how is your contentment toward
yourself? Wow! That is a loaded question. Really, when was the last time, if
ever, you were content with you? That is a thought to ponder because some of
you are killing yourself with expectations God never placed on you. His command
is simply this…Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, body, and
soul. Secondly, love your neighbor as yourself. Hmmmmm, if we are loving our
neighbors as ourselves when it comes to contentment, I suspect we are not
cutting anyone any slack. Ha, ha, ha!
As we conclude this study on the
Love Commands, I encourage you to learn to pray these into your life daily or
weekly. Ask God to let your love toward Him and your spouse (if married) to be
loyal, faithful, reverent, and intimate. Ask God to let your love toward your
neighbor and self to be respectful, harmless, pure, selfless, truthful and
content.
Love you all, and have a great
week!
His,
Vickie
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