7^th September

Appreciate what you have

“You must not steal… you must not covet your neighbour’s house. You must not covet your neighbour’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbour.”

Exodus 20:15, 17

Don’t steal, Don’t be jealous

Today, as we take on the last two commandments given to Moses, we again address a heart issue in the topic of stealing, and ultimately of jealousy. Stealing is the consequence of coveting, lusting after or being jealous of what you don’t have and of what someone else does have. Coveting insinuates that you lack what others have. Yet what stealing and coveting really are, is a lie from the enemy. The enemy says ‘you don’t have’ or that ‘you lack’, but that is a clear contradiction from what the Bible says about us. Did not Jesus promise to look after us? Did He not say that we are more valuable than the birds of the air that He feeds? Did He not say that He already knows what we need before we even ask? Did He not promise to protect and provide for us? These are God’s promises!!

Stealing and coveting is in direct conflict with the truth; the truth that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God. That means that our Heavenly Father is God; Yes, the same God who created the world and everything in it, is our Heavenly Father. He has promised to never leave or forsake us. He has promised to shower us with every good blessing. He is a good God. We lack for nothing. That is not to say that God will give us whatever we want even, if it is not good for us. No, He gives us what we need. It is from His unlimited storehouse of goodness that He satisfies and meets all of our needs. All that we have is from God. That is where our contentment and thanksgiving should be found. That leads us in the opposite spirit of stealing and coveting.

Friends, as you try to work out these guidelines in your lives, know that God is your supporter. He wrote these to prosper you, to protect you and to share His heart with you, not to condemn you. Moreover, it is His grace and Holy Spirit in you, that will give you the strength to follow His guidelines into righteous and holy living.