Posts Tagged: Exodus 20:1-2
“The Ten Commandments: Escape from What Enslaves Me”
A couple of years ago, I encountered a fresh approach to the Ten Commandments, and some interesting thoughts and observations concerning the Ten Commandments. Have a look at http://www.loyolapress.com/assets/Bookcovers/80499_god-delivers.swf (accessed 2-1-2015).
Commenting on Exodus 20:1-2, the retreat master writes the following:
“The passage begins God’s proclamation of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites. The Commandments offered the People of God freedom from all the things that might enslave their souls. The culture and world that we live in is not so very different from that of the Israelites. It too is besieged by violence, war, clashing ideologies, and a consumer culture that holds little of value save for the bottom line. God desires us to be free from all that would enslave our hearts and souls. God wants our full attention. The Commandments offer us a way to focus our energies on God.”
And then, the retreat master asks some wonderfully troubling questions over which to ponder.
“From what things does my spirit want to escape?”
“How can God’s commandments help me to escape from things that seek to enslave me?”
The retreat ends with the following prayer:
“God of freedom, help me find my way through all that distracts me from the freedom you desire for me.”
I had always thought of the Ten Commandments as being a reasonable set of expectations which God placed on the Israelites, after he had sprung them from slavery. And so they are! The Ten are also the road map for getting to the Promised Land, and enjoying the Promised Land once they got there. The Ten Commandments are probably also the path for not going back to Egypt.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
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