Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:1-22
Key verses: (6-7) “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.”
Reflection: Recently, I heard a sermon at another church that reminded me that our brothers and sisters in the faith who struggled under oppression and injustice thousands of years ago in Egypt are our spiritual ancestors. The God we worship is the God of the Israelites. The same God who set the slaves in Egypt free and led them to the promised land is also the God who sets us free from our bondage. As the spiritual descendants of slaves, we can remember what it was like to be held captive and what it was like to be liberated. Because of this liberation, we are told to have no other gods before God. But, sometimes we do worship other gods, don’t we? We forget what God has done and we run after all kinds of things looking for fulfillment and satisfaction. Some of these substitute things become gods in our lives. They take center stage as we push God aside. We don’t observe the commandments that offer us new life.
“Remember”, the LORD says, “who I am.” The freedom from slavery in Egypt was quite remarkable. So is the freedom we continue to be offered. God wants to bring us out of the “house of slavery”. Remember who you are so that God might take first place in your life.
Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, help us to hear you. Drive away the fear and anxiety that keeps us from you. May your words of hope instruct us as we live in community with one another. Remind us that you are the LORD our God, creator and sustainer of the universe and Lord of our lives. With grateful hearts we pray In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Author: Deborah Conner
[Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved].