Exodus 34:11a "Obey what I command you today." (The Lord's commands are not arbitrary or frivolous. They arise out of His deep and passionate desire to redeem us from the curse of sin and to establish us in relationship with Him. They arise out of the covenant of mercy and grace He has declared over us in which He, the eternal God of Creation, has chosen to be our God and us to be His Own people. The result of the Lord's covenant declaration over His people is that He invites us to make the choice, to choose to obey His commands, to exercise our free will to obey Him, and to follow the commands inherent in this covenant. The covenant to which He called Moses and His people involves not worshiping other gods, remaining separate from the pagans who live in the land to which they are going, not making idols, acknowledging God as highest priority through His ordained celebrations and tithe offerings, honoring the Sabbath, and receiving atonement through the shed blood of the sacrifices. The Lord's covenant is still in effect for us today. His requirements for obedience are not because He needs anything from us, but because He knows that our best interests are served when we acknowledge Him as Lord and when we serve and follow Him. Now through Christ, the Lord still calls us today to obey these commands as our part of the mercy covenant He has made with us.)
