Saturday of the First Week of Lent - March 16, 2019

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Deuteronomy 26:16-19  Matthew 5:43-48



Rules, Rules Rules! The cardinal rule, the golden rule…the rule about wearing white after Labor Day. I like to bend some of the smaller insignificant, rules. The Dalai Lama said that we should learn the rules so we can break them effectively. In this way, I can do what I want and still “kind of” follow God’s will. Right?! No. Moses said God commands us to follow all the RULES!! Bending them to my benefit keeps me from being fully committed to God and others.

Two of Jesus’ commands are to love our enemy and pray for our persecutors. Those are hard rules to keep, but I see a parallel between God’s children and my own. Like all parents, Ken and I want our kids to get along with, love and forgive each other. We want them to be friends, involved in each other's lives even as they grow old. We make RULES to ensure this. We say, "You don't have to want to, you just have to cooperate." We hope that later in life they will do it because they want to. We could not bear the thought of one being hurt or neglected by the other. God feels this way about us, His children.

Revelation 3 says, “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were…cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm…I will spit you out of my mouth.” God does not want us to look for loopholes in His rules. He wants us to commit fully. I never feel good about myself when I am angry at others, but I always feel good if I did my best to treat someone with love and respect. We are more beautiful people when we are loving and when we are loved.






Q: What rules or commandments do I do “half-way?”




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