Exodus 20:1-21 Growing Up as Free People

Observation: When God speaks the commandments directly to the people, they tell Moses, "From now on, we just want to hear from you. Hearing directly from God is too frightening."

Application: I wonder if it really was the lightning, thunder, and smoke that frightened the Israelites, or if it was the accountability of what it looks like to live as free people of God? Was it really the special effects, or was it the fact that the script wasn't completely written out for them anymore? When they were slaves in Egypt, the law was easy: "Do what Pharaoh says." If Pharaoh says it's good, it's good. If Pharaoh says it's bad, it's bad, even if it was good yesterday. You don't have to think for yourselves. There's a script. You read your lines. You do exactly what the boss tells you, you follow orders, and you have done the right thing. No critical thinking. No problem.

Not so in the promised land. God gives commandments, yes, but the commandments are designed to create a trusting, accountable community of free people. They are a framework for building relationships: with each other and with God. They are not a definitive script. They are the scenario for an improv sketch, played out over thousands of years, which could go horribly wrong. Is it possible the Israelites want Moses to speak instead of God, so they can start working with a script again, so that "whatever Moses says, goes", like in the old days with Pharaoh?

Even for us today, it's hard to live as free, accountable people, in relationship with God and wth others. Especially with the law as Jesus boils it down, "love God, Love your neighbor as yourself", the challenge is clear. It's easier sometimes to go to an authority figure and say, "what should we do?" But we are set free by a loving God who gives us a framework for what a free people looks like, but then calls us to grow up. And now that we know our sins are forgiven through Christ, the "safety net" of just doing exactly what an authority figure tells us is gone. We are freed to make choices, which will sometimes be wrong, yet will foster community. It's intimidating. But it's God's gift.

Prayer: God, thank you for the Law as a framework for freedom. Help us to grow up and make faithful choices. Amen.