- Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death. Exodus 22:19 – Certainly an awkward verse to select and write about for today’s devotion, but it speaks clearly about the state of our world without God’s moral law being our foundation. Bestiality was found throughout many of the cultures within the ancient world. With the Cannanites, the people who were living in the land the Israelites were soon to be taking over, bestiality was an acceptable practice and was even a part of their worship practices to their false gods. Even today, not everywhere in the world has made such vile acts illegal. What we see though, whether in the ancient world or in the world today, is when God’s moral standards are not the foundation then there is no limit to how far someone may go. When our standards for what is good and what is evil is based on how it makes us feel and what we believe for ourselves to be right, then is there even a line that can’t be crossed? How can we also judge another person’s “line” if the standard we live by is “do whatever feels right to you.” No wonder we are seeing such a decline in our moral standards within our society today. What was unacceptable and taboo to talk about in society years ago now gets a Netflix special that is in the top ten most watched. What is the answer to all this? It’s remembering God is God, not you. You aren’t the one who has the right to decide what is right and wrong, that falls on God’s shoulders. You aren’t the one who gets to choose if this acceptable or not, God does. He sets the standards of morality, He sets the rules, He determines what is good and evil. And we follow what He says. When we embrace this, not only do we find ourselves living in peace with God but living in peace with all those that follow God’s ways for our morality matches theirs. However you have taken the throne and dictated what’s good and unacceptable in your life, dethrone yourself and let God has His seat back. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3166
- Exodus 22 Daily DEVO If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. Exodus 22:16 – There is a price to be paid after sin. For some odd reason we forget that obvious fact when the temptations are in front of us. Our desires are stirring and our enemy is working and we loose focus off of this truth that this desire we’re about to try and fulfill has a step price to pay afterwards. You pursue the affair, you pay with a ruined marriage. You pursue the anger, you pay with ruined relationships. You pursue the selfishness, you pay with loneliness. There is a reason God is leading you away from sinful desires. It’s because He knows all to well the price you have to pay for sin. Be wiser than the old you. Before you’d pursue that sin not thinking about the consequences, but that’s not you anymore. Take hold of the strength and new path God is giving away from that old way of living. You’re free from that now because of Jesus, don’t find yourself paying for things you don’t have to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 816
- You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24 – God is clear on something here, He cares deeply for those the world often casts aside. In the culture when this passage was written, if there wasn’t a man of the house those in the house were left to fend for themselves. Widows and children without a dad were left with no support. As a result they were often mistreated and abused. God though commands His people to behave differently than the rest of the world. Those without support you support. Those cast aside you bring close. Those who need help you help. Show love to those who the world doesn’t show love to. This is the heart of God and the heart God directs you to have. Pause for a moment then and think of the people in your bubble that fit in this category. There are those in your church who have lost a spouse, there are the elderly who can’t physically do everything they used to be able do for themselves, there are so many kids in foster care, there are those truly working hard but just don’t have enough to cover their bills. You can’t do everything, but you can do something. Pray today to see how God may lead you show love to those He deeply loves. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1905
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