As I move through The Old Testament, I can't skip Exodus 20: 7-17.  Here we find ten verses that mean so much not just to me, but to you and to the world.  Our sense of moral behavior rests on these ten verses.  They are timeless and just as true for mankind today as they were when they were written.

3.  Do not ever take My name lightly.  I grew up thinking this meant swearing in God's name. Which it does.  But later, I came to realize that "In Vain"  meant more than that.  It means that we should not refer to God in any way that is not holy.  "Hallowed be thy name."  The Jews wouldn't even say God's name aloud.  If you have gotten into the habit of saying OMG, or Lordy, Lordy, etc.  you might want to consider whether that glorifies God, or is just a habit picked up from the world that we live in.  Years ago, I would say, "Oh my Lord."  I quit.  But the habit was hard to break.

4.  Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  I grew up during a time when we had "Blue Laws".  I don't know why they were 'blue', but what the law meant was that all stores were shut on Sunday unless there was an emergency.  Although Saturday, not Sunday is the Jewish Sabbath, Christians have set the first day of the week as their holy day.  We follow the example that Christ  gave us of meeting on Sunday.

 I recently reevaluated my Sunday behaviors and decided that I would not shop on Sunday.  I grew up in a family that didn't shop on Sunday.  I had just grown lazy about planing ahead and setting aside a day for God.  Actually in Ex. 20: 9-11 God tells us that just as he rested on the seventh day, that he wants us to cease working and rest.  "You shall not do any work…"  I think that you and I can find many ways  to say, "I will make this day different.  I will only do those things that absolutely have to be done.  I will remember God today".

When I started making changes concerning Sunday, I felt so free to do 'nothing'.  I read, I puttered in the garden.  I sat on the back porch and did absolutely nothing but listen to the birds  .  And it was God blessed.  It was God commanded.  I rested from all the demands of my life.

Sometimes we ate peanut butter sandwiches with a glass of milk.  Nobody starved.  (Continued…)