Having only been a Christian for the past 5, going on 6, years, you could imagine that my knowledge of scripture and understanding of the Bible isn’t as good as I would like it to be. Right away, I jumped in o the New Testament and besides a couple trips to Psalms and Proverbs, Esther and a few chapters in Exodus, I really had/have not much knowledge in regards to… anything. The more I started reading the more confused I became, obviously God has used everything that I have been reading in my life for good but because I didn’t have that whole background knowledge of anything that happened before the coming of Christ, I had alot of questions and they just kept coming.
My favorite part about teaching Sunday school is when we go to Revelation Station. There I have learned almost every “Bible Story” for the first time. Most of my Kindergartners already know or have heard them so you can imagine how inadequate I feel when they start asking questions or how amazed I feel when they started telling the teachers about what was happening in theses stories (I want you to picture the classroom, myself staring at the story teller listening intently while the children are playing, talking etc. hhaha.. often, that is the real picture, I get so caught up in the “Story” that I pay no attention to what is going on around me).
For some time I had been feeling convicted at my lack of knowledge and desire to read into the Old Testament. Popular excuses I think: it’s boring, I can’t understand the words, I’m not Jewish… you get the picture. Well, I believe that God has really been calling me to start at the beginning. I know that if God has been calling me to do it, that it can’t suck. He will make it enjoyable and he will use it for my good and those are all really good things to have when you “have” to read something that you aren’t necessarily interested in reading.
I started a couple months ago and still haven’t gotten that far but can I tell you how awesome it has been! I have honestly learned soooo many things. I basically have learned everything about what I believe today and where it came from, the reasons behind it, people God has used and I have been learning about God’s character. These things really have been deepening my understand and I am learning more about My God, the one I serve but I never actually knew. I thought I did, but apparently there was, and is, so much more to know and learn.
Some of the things that have been helpful as I am reading is: 1. Expecting that God will use these “Bible Stories” and willspeak to me through the chapters and 2. Looking at it more like a study session, taking diligent notes, re-reading, reading slowly and underlining. I do these things when I read usually but I have put in place a different mind set, when you take this mentality and apply it to your Bible reading, it is AMAZING at the things you learn and the ways that God reveals himself to you.
Okay, now regarding the title of the post, I have a few comments and questions about the thing that I have been reading and studying most recently; The Ten Commandments. I know most of you can agree that you know what they are, you could probably even recite them if asked what they were but have you ever actually thought about them? I am amazed and honestly surprised at all of the ways that I break these laws almost daily. If I haven’t yet today, I know I will soon.
Exodus 20 (compliments of biblegateway.com)
The Ten Commandments
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before [a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
I won’t comment on all of them (though I would really like to) but there a two topics that I specifically have questions/comments regarding.
1. “Honor your Father and Mother”- I have the hardest time with this. It is not that I argue with them (anymore) or say rude things to them, but I have a hard time respecting them. My parents do alot of things that I don’t agree with. Somethings I know that they know are wrong but but others they are just “blind” to. Knowing that they are “blind” to it has helped me not judge them or slander them, but it still does not help in my view of who they are. Sure, I love them, of course. But, I had a hard up-bringing and now that I am older and my brother and sister are still living at home, I can see now things that are wrong and reasons why I was or wasn’t treated right and how my brother and sister are being effected by it. Without going into too much detail I guess my question is, How do I honor my Father and Mother all while I don’t really respect or agree with them? How can I see them for who they are and not what they were? I know that God still uses them, Saved or not, but I want to love them whole heatedly, without bitterness or resentment.
2. The Sabbath- I know that this is a widely discussed issue, but as I continue to read deeper into the scripture and as i learn more about the Sabbath I can’t help but feel convicted about the ways that I use my Sundays and I start thinking about how everyone I know, including myself really completely neglects the whole aspect of “the day or rest”. What really is classified as “resting”. Do you think that running around to Birthday Parties or Movie Nights, Dinner at the In-laws… I feel like the Bible paints a completely different picture of what the Sabbath is and how it is not and I don’t really feel like… I hope you can sense my confusion, I can’t even figure out how to explain myself. Just start reading a little bit of Exodus and then come back and tell me what you think. Maybe as I keep reading I will feel at ease or I will have a better understanding, but right now, I feel like I am blatantly sinning with this one.
Alrighty… that was a nice long one for you. Don’t worry, it took me longer to write! =0)
janetsplanetblog.com 
That was a really good post! And the previous post was a really good idea. oh, and I respect your humility in this post.. =)
This was very encouraging to read! Keep reading the OT and see Christ revealed through ALL the Scriptures!