Reading: Psalm 105: 26 and 45

Verses 26 and 45: “He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron… that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws”.

Moses is known as one of Israel’s greatest leaders, as the giver of the Law. Moses led Israel out of a long period of slavery in Egypt and brought them to the brink of the Promised Land. The nation wandered the desert for forty years, slowly learning how to live in right relationship with God and with one another. The 10 Commandments are a foundational part of the Law. Through sins and other forms of disobedience the people learned how to “keep his precepts and observe his laws”. Moses and Aaron guided this process.

The process of learning the rules, norms, guidelines, expectations… continues to be a part of our world today. Whether a family or a church, whether school or work, this process is a part of our lives. It begins at home. As children we learn how to be a positive part of a family. Rules and boundaries and expectations shape and form us. School is the next place we learn to be a part of a community. Again, the “laws” that govern schools guides and forms us. As a whole, we function best and feel safest when there are clear sets of rules, expectations… God sending Moses and Aaron remains the primary model for learning the rules – the “precepts and laws”. Leaders model what we need to learn. Parents, teachers, bosses, ministers, and so forth continue this model to this day.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we do adhere to or seek to follow some “precepts and laws”. Jesus, the one who came to fulfill the Law, taught about how to live in community mostly be modeling it. When questioned about the Law, Jesus named two commands as the foundation of it all. The first commandment that Jesus named was to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Jesus lived this out during his life, showing us what it looks like to love God with all our being. The second was to love our neighbors. Again, Jesus provided the example, loving all people – Pharisees, tax collectors, outcasts, sinners…

These two commandments remain foundational to Christianity. Even the 10 Commandments fit within this framework. The first four are about loving God, the last six about loving our neighbors. As we consider the ways that the law and precepts of God shape and form us, lead and guide us, may we rejoice in God’s love and may we seek to live that love out in the world. Our good, good father brings us into communion with himself and into community with one another through his love. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: God of all, your love draws us in. Your love defines who we are – beloved children. As we grow and mature in faith, your loves refines us, transforming us more and more into the image of your son. Doing so we to become your love lived out in the world. Use each believer today to build your kingdom of love here on earth. Amen.