Jan. 9, 2014
Exodus 20-Part 11
Thou 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.
Exodus 20:17
LET IT GLOW
God definitely has a purpose for my life and my husband's life. We didn't get blown to smithereens. Not blown up. No Kablooy. After we returned from his getting a skin cancer cut out on his face yesterday in freezing rain, my husband unlocked the front door and turned on the light. Propane had filled the house. He told me to stay out while he opened the doors and windows. It was horrible. (At the time something is happening, I try to stay calm and think. It is afterwards that I fall apart.) What happened earlier was the wall furnace was fixed, but we knew if the electricity went off, the gas would continue to flow without it kicking on. I didn't think about it when leaving yesterday morning. My thoughts were focused on getting rid of the cancer.
It was back to heating the house with the fireplace again. I could do that. I had done that in negative temperatures. So I spent the rest of the day getting ready for the taxes in March. Please excuse me for not writing yesterday. I was too shook up over not being blown up.
This morning I read Ephesians 3:20 from yesterday's devotion: Not to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
Yes, I should have read it yesterday when I needed it. It was waiting on me.
My God is able and does exceedingly abundantly above, even when we don't ask, He is in control.
I am working on being thankful in everything. I know there are people in the north that have experienced worse than I have this winter.
LET IT GROW
Getting back to the tenth and last commandment, David Guzik had this to say:
All the first nine commands focus more on things we do; the tenth deals straight with the heart and its desires. Literally, the word for covet here means to pant after. covetousness can be expressed like this: the eyes look upon an object, the mind admires it, the will goes over to it, and the body moves in to possess it. Just because you have not taken the final step does not mean you are not in the process of coveting right now. Covetousness can be expressed towards all sorts of things; it is the itch to have and to possess what someone else has. It speaks of a dissatisfaction with what we have, and a jealously towards those who have something "better."
Jesus warned us against covetousness in Luke 12:15-Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the tings he possesses.
We are instructed in Hebrews 13:5, Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Paul warns us, in Ephesians 5:5, For this you know that no...covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
How is my attitude? Is it one of thankfulness for what God has given me or do I grumble and complain, wanting what others have?
Thank You Lord Jesus for this old house You have provided us to live in. Thank you for water, electricity, and wood heat.
Most of all, thank You for life and breath and salvation.
LET IT GO
Be content with what I have.
Praise, give thanks, and honor my Savior.
Tell of His wonderful deeds.
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