02/04/21 Pay Attention

READING: Exodus 22:16-24:18, Matthew 22:1-22

Sometimes a single verse of the Bible brings much clarity to a section that might take some time to work through. Today’s Old Testament reading takes us through various laws, including some about theft, crops, property, seduction, resident aliens, honesty, justice, and other matters. Some of the concepts and phrases might not always be clear to us, and some of the penalties for breaking them might catch us off guard—but, in the midst of these discussions is a statement that gave His people clear guidance: “Pay strict attention to everything I have said to you” (Exo 23:13). 

The God of the Bible is the one true God, and in no way should we ever call on any other “god.” Rather, our responsibility is to obey everything God has commanded us (Matt 28:18-20), even when we may not necessarily understand it. His ways are not the world’s ways. His expectation that we deny self to follow Him flies in the face of our independent, success-driven culture. His requirement that we love the unlovable, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who mistreat us seems quite foreign to our natural thinking. On the other hand, He’s God—and we’re not. 

The One who creates is the One who sets the rules. Our job is pay heed to everything He has taught us. 

PRAYER: “Lord, help me to obey You without falter today.”

DAILY ACTION STEP:  Even if you don’t understand what the Lord expects of you today, obey Him anyway.

TOMORROW’S READING: Exodus 25-27, Matthew 22:23-46

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