10 Words to Live By

When you think about how God shows his love, giving us rules is probably not the first thing that pops in your mind. In this short and easy read, Jen Wilkin masterfully explains why love and rules go together perfectly. 

We've all heard of the 10 Commandments, but how often do we misread and misunderstand them? I remember learning them as a child when we did a craft of writing them on two clay slabs in VBS. I've learned so much about them since then but they still felt like a list of rules to abide by rather than beautiful words to cherish. Once again, Jen helps us see the beauty of the Word and deepen in our love for the Lord by connecting the dots in our knowledge to our heart. Even though I've already done her Exodus study (also amazing!!) I still gleaned new and deeper understanding of how these words are to be read, obeyed, and appreciated as a beautiful gift from a God who cares for us. Each chapter has questions that can be used for personal reflection group discussion.

To deepen our understanding of what obedience to these commands looks like, she connects them with New Testament and shows how Jesus expounded them. My favorite part was her observation in the closing that each word was not just a command for us to obey but a prophecy about Christ. "YOU shall have no other Gods before me, YOU shall make no idols, YOU shall not take the name of the Lord in vain...." Jesus fulfilled these words perfectly in action, mind, and heart. In loving these words we continue to love the Word of God as we become more like Christ.

Blessed is the one who's delight is in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.