No lusting after your neighbor’s house—or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don’t set your heart on anything that is your neighbor’s. Exodus 20:17 (TM)

From the home office in the Throne Room of Heaven, Exodus 20 is God’s Top Ten List of Rules not to break (there’s more than 10 rules – believe me – just wait until we get to Leviticus!). It’s always interesting to go through God’s Top Ten list. It was #10 that stuck out to me today. Growing up, when I learned the list and read it for the first time in the good ol’ King James version – it told me not to "covet". That was easy. I didn’t know what "covet" meant and never gave it much thought. And, since none of my neighbors had a donkey (and even if they did, I certainly wasn’t going to "covet" it…what ever that means…if you get my drift). Number 10 has always been an easy one to glance over.

The Message does a good job of making it clearer. It also makes it more convicting, though with the "ox and donkey" reference it is still easy not to catch God’s drift. You see, we live in a world, in an economy, that is predicated on wanting more. When you lust after what your neighbor has you go out and buy one yourself. And, let’s be honest. We’re all just kids in a great big toy store.

I’ve got to get me one of them iPhones.
Did you see his new car?! I want one.
I wish I had her wardrobe. I swear, she owns everything in the store.
Why did she end up finding such a great guy? Why should she get married when I’m still single?
It’s not fair that he has that new, huge house and I’m still living in this dump.
Sweet flat-screen. Dude, where did you get that?

Lusting is great for the economy, but God’s concerned about the effect that has on my heart. That’s why He talks so much about learning to be content. And, I’ve still got a lot to learn in that department.

God, help me to be content; help me learn to focus my thoughts and my heart’s desires on you.

Be my treasure.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Myrrien.

Moses went down the mountain to the people and prepared them for the holy meeting. Exodus 19:14 (TM)

The idea of preparing to meet God is not isolated to this passage. The liner notes on many of the psalms identify them as "songs of ascent" which were intended to prepare people as they climbed up to meet God in worship at Jerusalem. Heart preparation for worship is a concept that we have, by and large, lost in our culture. Many of us put in our hour or two at church on Sunday morning, but did we do anything to prepare our hearts for "the holy meeting"?

Here is a great opportunity to take our relationship with God to a new level. Perhaps we should look at Saturday as a day of preparation for worship rather than a final day to party before resting for the coming week.

Moses’ father-in-law said, "This is no way to go about it. You’ll burn out, and the people right along with you. This is way too much for you—you can’t do this alone. Exodus 18:17 (TM)

Everyone needs a mentor. I know people who have multiple mentors in different areas of their lives. A person might have a financial mentor, a spiritual mentor, a physical training mentor, etc. The idea is simple and it is ancient. As successful as Moses had been, he needed the wisdom of his father-in-law, Jethro, to objectively view Moses organization and offer a crucial piece of advice. We benefit from the knowledge and experience of those who have gone before us and know the road ahead.

I’m blessed to look back at several men and women who have been "Jethro" for me. How about you?

"God said to Moses, ‘Write this up as a reminder to Joshua…’"  Exodus 17:14a (TM)

Joshua was the general and this battle was his first test, but it would certainly not be his last. Not only would Joshua continue to lead the army through the 40 years of wandering, but God knew that he would eventually take Moses’ place and lead the nation in the conquest of Canaan. God wanted to make sure Joshua had a reminder of what God had done to give him strength and courage when he needed it.

Most of us have examples of what God has done for us. Miracles of provision, strength through trials, answered prayers, and incredible blessing are likely a part of your faith journey as they are mine. How will you children, grandchildren and future generations know what God has done? What incredible strength and encouragement we could give them and their faith if we will simply write it down or tape it.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and bdorfman

The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. The Israelites said, "Why didn’t God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You’ve brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!" Exodus 16:2-3 (TM)

People are fickle. Fame is fleeting. Public opinion can blow with the Wrigley Field wind (in one minute – out the next). Those who once loved you now hold you with suspicion. Those who were singing your praises are now making up mocking parodies like Wierd Al. Leading a team at work through a project or leading a family through vacation is challenging at best. Imagine the management task before Moses and Aaron: leading over a half-million people (plus their pets and livestock) on a camping expedition that would eventually last forty years.

Strong leadership means holding the course and doing the right thing no matter what the wind of public opinion is doing. You can still listen to the complaints and you can choose to respond appropriately. Nevertheless, leaders who run off half-cocked in response to every critical comment or each whim of the masses will eventually make decisions that are bad for everyone (and you thought public opinion was bad before).

Creative Commons graphic courtesy of Flickr and Ben Murphy Online

"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together…" Exodus 15:1 (TM)

Reading this song of Moses brings back memories. I sang a version of the chorus of this song as a young person in youth group. How cool to think that a song which is thousands of years old is being sung in one way or another today. What God did is still being celebrated. He is still being glorified for it.

But isn’t that the power of music as a method of communication? Music is so powerful because a simple melody combined with the lyric gets fixed in your mind. I often hear people say they can’t memorize, but they’re still humming the words to some song that was on in the background of the department store. Have you ever been humming a song to yourself and you think to yourself, "I never consciously set out to memorize this song, but I know most of the words by heart!"

It’s also powerful in reminding us of a time and place. Madison and I were in the car the other day and a song came on the radio. "This reminds me of 6th grade," Madison said with a smile and a chuckle at the memory. Don’t you do the same thing. A song takes you back to childhood, to high school, or even to a specific moment or event in time.

No wonder God tells us to worship him with song.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and usonian

God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and the waters will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, over their horsemen." Exodus 14:26 (TM)

A young girl was using some quiet time in school to read her Bible. She read Exodus 14 about God dividing the Red Sea so that the Israelites could pass through safely and she became visibly excited. "God is so awesome," she exclaimed to herself with a big grin on her face.

"Young lady, what are you talking about?" her teacher asked from his desk, suspicious of her comment and her reading material.

"I’m reading about God dividing the Red Sea to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt," she answered.

The teacher stared her down across the reading glasses perched on his nose. He scowled and huffed, "It’s not true. Scientists have concluded that the Red Sea was only a few inches deep at the time!"

The girls eyes got bigger. Her smiled widened. "God is so awesome!" she exclaimed once more with more excitement.

"What do you mean?" the teacher asked pointedly.

"To think all those Egyptians drowned in just a few inches of water!!"

There are a lot of amazing miracles in scripture that we will never prove or disprove. As my friend Nick writes, it’s not about proof, it’s about faith. Some will never believe no matter how much proof there may be. While faith may be reasonable, matters of faith will always be beyond reason.

Creative Commons photo of the Red Sea courtesy of Flickr and Mark and Kylie.