Deuteronomy 10:12-13   ¹² So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  ¹³ and to keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being.

 Most of us have a love/hate relationship with rules. When we see someone breaking the rules, we have no trouble pointing it out and saying that the rules are there for a reason. But when we break the rules and are called out, we try to justify our behavior and say the rules are unfair.

God established a set of commandments/rules for us to live by. These rules guide the way we relate to God and to each other. They are fairly simple rules, common sense rules even, but they are not easy to keep. We don’t like to put others and even God ahead of our desires, success or comfort. But God made these rules for our well-being. If we follow them, we will get along with others and even lift them up. If we follow them, we will enjoy our relationship with God and be blessed. Let us walk in all God’s ways and experience God’s peace.

Lord, help us follow your rules for living so that we might experience the well-being you promise. Amen.