Today's Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Judges 7:1-23; Galatians 1:1-24 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." (Exodus 20:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is who your God is. Not just the first couple verses, but the whole thing. The Law is a reflection of the Law maker. In my car, there are 11 commandments. God gets His 10. I add one more. Thou shalt not listen to country music. It's a reflection of who I am: someone with taste. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is who your God is. The Lord who absolutely insists on being your God. There's no room for any others. He wants to be the One to care for you. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Your God has a name so powerful it has to be used with care, and He wants you to have it, to call upon Him, pray, praise, and give thanks. Your God wants to spend time with you, so He rests with you and gives you gifts on the Sabbath. Your God wants to work through sinners to love you, so He gives you parents worthy of the same honor due to Him. They sometimes fail to earn it. That never stops God from working through them for your good. He loves you so much that He wants you to have people to represent that love. Honor your father and your mother as gifts from Him. Life goes better that way. Sin breaks stuff. Your God loves life, and insists that you live. Nobody's allowed to kill you. Your God wants you to have a healthy marriage. He walls it off and demands it be defended. He wants you to have and keep your stuff. He values your name and gives it all the protection He gives His own. He even cares about your heart, and knows what will pollute it. He calls us out of sin because sin breaks stuff. He calls us toward that which builds up because He loves us. We don't listen. The Law shows us our sin. It shows us we're not God. We don't need to be. He is, and He brought Israel out slavery to Egypt and us out of slavery to sin and death. The Law paints a picture of God. The Gospel paints a picture of you. You are the one He saves. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Law of God is good and wise And sets His will before our eyes, Shows us the way of righteousness, And dooms to death when we transgress. ("The Law of God is Good and Wise" LSB 571, st.1) Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch