It seems that one of the biggest turn-offs to non-Christians is the perception that there are a bunch of rules and that they would be missing out on something if they attempted to follow these rules. Even among believers it is common to find this same attitude. But this is not the picture that Scripture paints at all. Take Psalm 119 for example, the writer is not complaining that God's Laws are a burden to keep, but instead thanking God and praising Him for His mercy of giving His people direction through the Law. This whole Psalm, which is by no coincidence the longest chapter in the Bible, is nothing but praise for God's Laws, Decrees, Statutes, Word, and Commandments. Even in the beginning, before the fall, God gave His people directions(Gen. 1:26,28,29,2:15,16,17). God wasn't trying to spoil their fun, He was showing them how to live. Otherwise, how would Adam have known to take care of the garden, or what he could eat, or how to reproduce. Without God's direction, which is life(John 6:63), Adam and Eve would have died. The LORD was being merciful. After the fall, when the people of Israel were freed from slavery, God spoke to Moses giving them the Commandments and Laws. When first reading the books of the Law, such as Leviticus, it's easy to be overwhelmed with what all they have to keep. But like in the garden, Israel, after being enslaved needed to relearn how to live. So God, in His grace and mercy, told them what to do to be sanctified, or set apart. He told them how to make sacrifices that would be pleasing to Him and put them back in right standing with God. He gave them practical commandments so that disease wouldn't spread throughout the people. These Laws were not so much a burden on the people as much as they were God teaching His people how to truly live and be His people. Let us reflect and meditate on God's Word and the ways that He is mercifully giving us direction so that we no longer view what He says as a burden, but instead praise Him that we're not left to figure this life out on our own.
Grace and Peace,
matt j
