God's Concern with Our Contentment

A Verse

Exodus 20:17

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

A Comment

In brief, the 10^th commandment prohibits us from desires that are not rooted in love for God and love for others. To state it positively, the 10^th commandment exhorts us to be content with what God, in His mercy, has provided us, and to not envy or be greedy for the things that God has blessed our neighbors with. So, you could restate the commandment positively and say, “Be content. Be content with your spouse. Be content with your stuff.”

This commandment teaches us to never think that our desires are no big deal. Disordered desires lead to destruction. God has not designed us to ceaselessly desire other things. He has designed us for contentment. Yet, sin has distorted this design and warped our relationship with God and others. Instead of satisfaction and contentment, we struggle with greed, jealous, and envy, even though we do not want to admit it. Yet, in God’s mercy, this 10^th commandment, direct us away from the desires of our flesh and to God.

A Prayer

Will you pray with me?

A Blessing

Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.