February 10

Exodus 20

Moses meets with the Lord on top of Mount Sinai where he receives the Ten Commandments.

INSIGHT

The genius of God’s moral system is that everything He asks of us is for our good. Often the Ten Commandments are seen by people as restrictive, keeping them from doing something that would make them happy. Initially, perhaps. But ultimately, nothing could be further from the truth. Sin is self-destructive; righteousness is self-constructive. It makes no more sense to sin willfully than it does to become a drug addict. In both cases, the person is destroying himself. Abandon yourself to the moral law of God. It is glorifying to Him, but it is also good for you. Understood in this light, we see the truth in the statement that anything less than the glory of God is anti-human.

PRAYER

The holy God of Mount Sinai is worthy of our praise:
I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies (Psalm 18:1-3).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this passage of confession to the Lord:
I return to the Lord my God,
For I have stumbled because of my iniquity,
I take words with me and return to the Lord
And say to Him, “Take away all iniquity,
Receive me graciously,
For I will offer the sacrifices of my lips” (based on Hosea 14:1-2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

• The renewing of your mind
• The needs of your extended family
• Today’s activities

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer(Psalm 19:14).