Our “I Am…” series has already been off to a wonderful start. We have explored our identity as being rescued and named by God! As we move through Lent, members of Saint Luke will continue to share reflections about who we are in Christ here on our blog. These thoughtful prompts will also gather us together and lead us into a weekly time of connection on Zoom.
Liz Harmon continues our series with her reflections on being formed by God.
I am Formed By God’s Law
I’ve heard that learning (or building a life) is based on a structure or perhaps a ladder. The lower rung, the foundation stone is the most important! It has to be solid to support the rest of the structure. In school, first we learn letters, then sounds, and then how they work together for make words that we learn to read. With that basic structure, we can learn from reading.
Could we look at the 10 commandments as a structure intended by God for how we might form our lives in ways that are best for us and for our neighbors?
So, there is the base block, “I am your God”. This is the first commandment, on which rest all the law and the prophets: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.
The second; “You shall have no other gods before me” focuses on the centrality of the first.
Setting aside a day to God, as in the 3rd Commandment, also underscores the centrality of having a Lord, your God and says that time, effort, and attention are needed to achieve a right relationship with this God.
Perhaps the other commandments are what we need to live as individuals in community. We care for our neighbor and for our place within the neighborhood with these commandments.
They are given in the “shalt not” framework in order to protect our neighbor and perhaps to protect ourselves from our neighbors. In the affirmative version is a vision of how-to live-in peace with our neighbor, in the kingdom of God.
This song illustrates building in a lovely way.
So how am I shaped by the Commandments? Each time I encounter them, as now, I find something new. Something more comes to mind. This time I’m reminded of Luther’s thoughts on ‘Thou Shalt not Kill’ and ‘Thou shall not Steal’. Not only ‘Thou shall not kill’, but not hurt . . . but help him in all his physical needs. And ‘Thou shalt not steal’ but help his neighbor to improve and protect his property. Luther does not note ‘Christian’ or deserving neighbors, just neighbors who are to be helped and protected. I’m also reminded that we Christians often have a problem with God’s unlimited, amazing mercy. The 10 Commandments are now just Two: Love God, Love Neighbor. And we trust God to help and guide us.
Dear God, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Amen
PONDER & SHARE
How do the Commandments form you to Fear, Love, and Trust God?
What is the hardest commandment for you to be formed by?