Good day dear friends.
We entered Myth No. 4, "It Doesn't Matter What You Believe, Because Basically All Religions Are The Same." This is a myth of convenience for one does not have to make a decision or to make a commitment to a particular faith. It is also a weak myth given the political unrest in so many regions of the world based mainly on religious differences. If all religions were "basically the same" you'd think they would all get along?
Here is our study guide for Monday: Monday: As Moses prepared the people of God (Israel) to enter into the Promised Land, he shared with them teachings from God Himself about Who God was and is. Please find Deuteronomy 6:4-9. What does this tell you about God? Compare that to Exodus 20:2-5a. Would the notion that the promised land was inhabited by other people who had other gods influence God into sharing these teachings? How do you feel about this?
Here is Deut. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.(NIV)
If all religions were the same, the first commandment would not have stressed that God is a jealous God. And this passage from Deuteronomy would not have had Moses sharing with them the basis of their faith: We have one God, who wants us to love Him! This was good preparation for the people of God were about to enter the land where the people had many gods and strange worship compared with theirs. This passage stresses that the knowledge of God had to be written in their hearts, impressed upon their children, spoken about at home and on journeys, when resting about to sleep, and first thing in the morning. They were to have symbols on their hands and on their foreheads, written on doorframes of their homes and gates. (Remember at this point they were mostly in tents!)
Here is the commandment from Exodus 20:2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God (NRSV).
The main comparision? They're the same. God is a loving God, but God is a jealous God. And in the commandment God is more specific about what other people were doing in their worship of false gods and God did not want His people to be involved in the same thing.
When you think about it, our faith is one that does not stress our having to wear certain religious things, though we're free to wear crosses or put crosses on our vehicles or clothing. But these are just symbols of what price God paid through Jesus for us. They serve as loving reminders of the revelation of God with us about what God did to show Himself through His son.
Look for the signs today. See how real God is for you in everything you come across today. And let those settle in your heart and mind. God loves you and cares for you. What will you do for Him today?
PRAYER: God, I know you are everywhere. Let me see Your handiwork in all things. Let me be a witness of love, Your love, to those with whom I come in contact today and all days. In Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
