God rules

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

While the shift from story to rules always feels difficult for me when going through the Bible, I like that God knows how important this question is for all of us – how do we know what is right?

When we have freedom, our choices can be overwhelming. This is not a new 21st century thing, although we probably all feel the effects of being spoilt for choice. How many arguments have you seen, or taken part in, online where facts and opinions seemed mixed up and passions rose over vaccination, climate change or Brexit? How can we know what is right and how best to treat each other without a shared framework for viewing the world?

I think that God is supplying his people with much more than details for practical living here. He is building a framework for life with him, his love and justice at the centre. It’s hard to know exactly how to live, but God was making it possible to know him, and life would follow.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth” is a memorable standout detail of how people should respond to injury and injustice. Does that mean that God is vengeful? It could, from this alone, or it may simply mean that he is just.

However, I have come to believe that there is a direction of travel in the Bible, progress in God’s kingdom from beginning to end. Human life near the beginning of Genesis was described as vengeful, amplifying injustice by pushing back harder against every hurt. God puts a lid on that here. Following his framework, we must limit our responses to aggression by being measured and proportionate.

Was that the end of God’s plan? No, just the beginning. Keep going in that direction, from pushing back harder to proportionately, and we’ll eventually reach where Jesus takes us, loving enemies, blessing those who curse us, forgiving. That’s where God’s kingdom is taking us. Are we there yet?

What am I going to do differently as a result?

I like to think I’m right a lot of the time, too much to be honest. I’m reminded from this that I have a way to go before my life looks like the life God wants me to have. I’m very grateful that the way for us to get there isn’t by following rules as much as following Jesus, so I’m going to spend more time this week with him bringing choices and questions in prayer.

Who am I going to share this with?

Don’t know yet, but I would like to share with someone else I pray with this week.