Devotion 

The Law of the Lord

Frances Taylor 

The Law of the Lord when kept, brings peace and harmony. Based on ancient codes of conduct, the commandments were considered the basis for civilized society. Think about it. What would the world be like if there was no respect for authority, or life or truth? What if there was no way to stop anyone from taking away your property? How would you feel if every day, you walked down the street and were in danger of being killed and there was no law to convict the murderer? We need laws to protect us. We need laws to remind us of our responsibilities to one another and we need the commandments to remind us of our dependence on and responsibilities to God. If we want our hearts to rejoice, we need to recognize that God is in charge, not us. When we realize this, we are set free. Of course we have a responsibility to do God's will, but it's nice to know that we aren't in control. Our responsibilities are set out in the 10 commandments that follow. Life is so much simpler if we just follow them. Stealing, lying, cheating, holding on to anger, destruction of property as well as reputations may bring a momentary benefit, but if you wouldn't like to be on the receiving end, you shouldn't be on the giving end either. Everything goes back to the Golden Rule. Our legal system keeps us safe, but the commandments are the root of all law and if we hold fast to them, we don't have to worry about the rest.

Prayer 

Lord, you have given us the rules for living a productive life. Give us the wisdom to follow your commandments. Amen.