Out Our Way:

Exodus 20:1-8

Out our way Goliath and I have taken some spills. Well, to be honest, I am the one that has ended in the dust most times. While they have usually been because I was not paying attention, now and then I have been tossed by Goliath tripping over his own four feet. As I have noted before, as much as I dearly love old Doc, he is a klutz.

Of course, as the rider I should also be keeping an eye on the trail as well, especially in rough country and while I am trying to cut off that pair that took off from the herd. I may be a bit distracted, but I still have time to use a little common sense and look out when riding through areas covered with gopher and badger holes. Accidents happen, but avoidable ones only get me chuckles from my doctor when he has to once again check the ribs and head after another wreck. It's embarrassing when the x-ray techs know you by name.

Still and all, some wrecks can be and have been avoided when I do pay attention and show some sense of caution. No one cheers or congratulates me for a safe ride - and I often think nothing of it myself - but I do take a certain sense of pride in becoming a better rider and less of a hazard to myself, old Doc, and others as I gain ability and common sense.

This past week we celebrated the Fourth of July and it is my hope everyone came through it without any damage, burns or serious injury, although the ER is often on alert and expects to be extra busy around the Fourth - for though every package of fireworks comes with a warning label and urges the user to pay attention to what they are doing, there are always those people who do not, and end up in the hospital with painful and sometimes serious injuries.

As we study the Ten Commandments, one might consider them God's warning label, there for our benefit just as the owner's manual is published for the well-being of the car owner. We can choose to ignore them - and accept the consequences as the result of our foolishness - But we cannot ignore them and then blame Ford, GM or God for the negative results that follow.

Today we consider the first three commandments: "love God above all else," "worship nothing else" and "never misuse God's name."

The first commandment reminds that God is the creator of all - he is in charge and no one or nothing else is - especially ourselves.

This leads to the second commandment: no idols. When you look closely at idolatry you discover the root is really self-worship - for what is an idol but self-worship? The ancient gods were merely "divine" beings in our own image - to be used and manipulated through ritual, offering, etc. for our own purposes, allowing us, rather than God, to be in charge.

And the third commandment: never misuse the name of God. While most folks assume this is a prohibition against cursing saying, "God!" or "Jesus" as a curse or even as an exclamation, it includes a far more serious concern: that of using God and religion for one's own purposes. While Christ taught us to invoke His name in prayer for others, that did not include using it for selfish purposes. The TV evangelist who uses God as a sales pitch to con the immature believer out of money and uses most of it to become rich and famous is no different from the ancient Pharisee whom Jesus condemned based on this very commandment.

The pagan, the idolater and the blasphemer are all in the same boat and facing the same hardships, especially when all are church members who claim to serve God. They, above all, who have been given the Commandments and the Gospel - but still ignore the warnings - will be held in far greater condemnation than the atheist or agnostic or unbeliever who is merely ignorant. The illiterate are not to be blamed for ignoring the warning labels on the fireworks as the educated who simply ignore it.

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The Covenant Trail Series is also available online at the First Presbyterian Website: http://havrepres.org/. John Bruington and Goliath invite you to enjoy and pass it on if desired. Blessings.