Faith Tidbit #30

It's important to notice that the Ten Commandments don't actually begin with a command. In fact, they begin with a promise: "I am the Lord your God..." Here, God underscores that a relationship with Him cannot be earned by adherence to His revealed will in the commandments. God promises to be our God without strings or preconditions. Relationship is God's gift to us. We may spurn that gift. But God offers it nonetheless. To understand this, consider the love of most parents for their children. Children may spurn parental love, opting out of a relationship. But this won't alter the parents' love for them. Jesus, in fact, told a parable or story which conveyed this truth about God's stubborn grace toward His children, as well as about God's respect for the choices we make regarding what to do with His offer of relationship.