Good morning,
Last
week an angry young adult with a heart full of hate killed a classroom
of young children and a number of adults to settle some kind of issue
with his mother. Last week an angry country ruler killed hundreds of
people to make sure he could stay in leadership even though they were
citizens of his own country. Last week an angry pastor split his church
to show his enemies that he had the power to lead his people even if he
had to break a few Bible rules to stay in power. Two thousand years
ago the leading priest of the Jewish people condemned the creator of the
earth to death for breaking their man made rules. In each of these
cases people broke the law in order to get what they wanted, and felt
deep down that they had done the right thing. Each of these people plus
billions more prove that making good laws without a loving heart will
always lead to disaster.
When Moses was chosen to lead the
children of Israel out of Egypt, he led them to a mountain that God had
chosen, so that he could give them his laws. They were already breaking
these laws within a month of hearing God’s voice speak to them from the
mountain. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness Moses reviewed
God’s laws to reminded them that God loved them and wanted them to be
successful in life. He gave them a choice between life and death,
between loving obedience or facing the wrath of God. It didn’t take
long for these people to show that they loved themselves and their false
gods, so God kept his promise and brought disaster on his chosen
people. When Jesus, the Creator, came to his earth to demonstrate God’s
awesome love by dying in our place on the cross, he gave his disciples
the same basic message in one sentence. He said, “If you love me, obey
my commandments.” It wasn’t long before those who called themselves
Christians were doing the same thing as the Jewish people did before
them. The point that God is making is quite clear. Laws without his
powerful love will always fail. Evil always finds ways around even the
most holy laws. Making more laws doesn’t solve our problems. Only a
changed heart will keep us living with those around us in ways that
leads to peace and God’s blessing.
Deuteronomy 30:15
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death,
between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love
the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by
walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the
LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and
occupy. 17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and
if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn
you now that you will certainly be destroyed.
John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
Roy Wisner
