How do you handle life when you feel like you are hemmed in by "Thou shall not's"? That was the question Lucille Campbell was dealing with in the devotional she wrote for "Time-Out for the Spirit" by Guidepost. One morning after reading to her children from Exodus 20 the Ten Commandments, her eleven year old daughter responded with a rebellious statement, "Thou shall not! That is all the Bible ever says." Her mother decided to wait and pray for a more influential opportunity to respond to Donna.
Later that day the Campbell family packed a picnic and explored some woods nearby. On one old tree, next to a fence that cut them off from a beautiful meadow, filled with green grass and thousands of beautiful short wild flowers, was a sign that said, "No Trespassing." Down in the lower part of the field was a small stream that was very inviting to the children. They asked, "Can we go down to the creek and put some of these dead leaves in and play like they are our boats going down a great river?" To that question their mother responded, "What does that sign on the tree say?" To that question Donna responded, "That sign and that fence are just two more 'Thou shall not's!' Before her mother could stop Donna she quickly climbed over the fence.
Suddenly, from the woods on their left, about fifty yearling steers burst forth, bawling and bucking. They seemed to be heading toward Donna. The family and Donna had a few moments of fear until Donna was able to reach the fence and roll under it, just in time. When the family arrived home and had their evening meal together, they had a sharing time about their experiences of the day. They all enjoyed the picnic and their searching through the woods for different types of leaves and the games they played, but the one event that got the most attention was the scary experience of the steers coming out of the woods toward Donna after she had climbed over the fence and gone into their pasture. Together they concluded that the Ten Commandments are signs that God is posting around activities that could be very dangerous for our lives. Therefore, they concluded their sharing with a pray of thanks to our heavenly Father who has given us warning signs for our safety and protection.
Scriptural Guide: "And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you" (Jeremiah 7:23).
Later that day the Campbell family packed a picnic and explored some woods nearby. On one old tree, next to a fence that cut them off from a beautiful meadow, filled with green grass and thousands of beautiful short wild flowers, was a sign that said, "No Trespassing." Down in the lower part of the field was a small stream that was very inviting to the children. They asked, "Can we go down to the creek and put some of these dead leaves in and play like they are our boats going down a great river?" To that question their mother responded, "What does that sign on the tree say?" To that question Donna responded, "That sign and that fence are just two more 'Thou shall not's!' Before her mother could stop Donna she quickly climbed over the fence.
Suddenly, from the woods on their left, about fifty yearling steers burst forth, bawling and bucking. They seemed to be heading toward Donna. The family and Donna had a few moments of fear until Donna was able to reach the fence and roll under it, just in time. When the family arrived home and had their evening meal together, they had a sharing time about their experiences of the day. They all enjoyed the picnic and their searching through the woods for different types of leaves and the games they played, but the one event that got the most attention was the scary experience of the steers coming out of the woods toward Donna after she had climbed over the fence and gone into their pasture. Together they concluded that the Ten Commandments are signs that God is posting around activities that could be very dangerous for our lives. Therefore, they concluded their sharing with a pray of thanks to our heavenly Father who has given us warning signs for our safety and protection.
Scriptural Guide: "And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you" (Jeremiah 7:23).
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