[G.o.d said,] "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your G.o.d. In it you shall do no work."

EXODUS 20:8-10.

G.o.d DIDN'T GIVE US the Sabbath to make us weird. He gave it to us because He made us with the need for rest. We function best when we take a day off each week to rest our minds and bodies, recalibrate our priorities, and refocus on G.o.d.

Many of us don't know how to rest. We're geared up 24/7 to accomplish as much as we possibly can while at work and to play hard in the evenings and on weekends. We experience what some call "hurry sickness," rushing around so much that we make ourselves (and others) physically and emotionally sick. Some of us wear stress as a badge of honor. We take pride in our packed schedules, but we don't realize the damage we're inflicting on ourselves. One man had a revelation: "My pride about always being busy was sick. Gradually, I became more driven, but I also became more isolated and more demanding of people around me. Being in a hurry all the time generated a tremendous amount of anger, and I never gave myself time to decompress."

The Sabbath, however, isn't just a day off for us to do nothing. It should be filled with things that refresh us: time to worship G.o.d; invest in our family relationships; read a good book; enjoy a hobby; and yes, kick off our shoes and relax. A lifestyle of being always on the go is addictive, and any addiction is hard to overcome. It takes focused attention, discipline, courage, and the encouragement of others who are on the same path.

Do you see any "hurry sickness" in your life?

What are some specific things you can do to make a Sabbath rest meaningful?

"If a man cannot earn a living working six days a week, what would make him think he could make it if he works seven days a week?"-TRUETT CATHY

AUGUST 6.

THE GIFT OF HONOR.

[G.o.d said,] "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your G.o.d is giving you."

EXODUS 20:12.

MANY OF US COME to a startling conclusion about our parents. In our teens, we believe they are one card short of a full deck, but when we are a bit older, we realize they are really wonderful people-flawed, but wonderful. Families are the glue of any society, and our relationships with our parents are important from birth to death. There's never a time when we cease to be our parents' child, and the need to honor them never ends.

Some people read the words of this verse and understandably grit their teeth and mutter, "Never!" They've been deeply wounded by their parents, and they've spent their lives recovering from the hurts they've endured. Whether our parents have been the best on earth or the worst from h.e.l.l, G.o.d gave us a directive to honor them. That doesn't mean we approve of all their behavior or we excuse the wounds they've inflicted on us. It means we speak words of appreciation and not complaint to them . . . and any time we mention them to others. A lady who was severely abused by her father followed this pattern and learned to say, "At least he played a part in bringing me into this world. I'm thankful to him for that."

Speaking words of affirmation to and about our parents has dramatically positive effects. G.o.d promises that our obedience in this area results in long life. This promise isn't repeated for any other command, so we're wise to pay attention! How does that work? Learning to treat our parents with respect and honor takes a lot of pressure off one of our most important relationships. If we can relate to them in a positive way, we probably relate to everyone else in our lives with love, respect, and thankfulness. When stress goes down, life expectancy goes up. That's G.o.d's promise.

Make a list of things you appreciate about your parents, even if you were abused or abandoned.

How might honoring your parents have a multiplied impact on the rest of your life?

"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart."-LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA

AUGUST 7.

SANCt.i.tY OF LIFE.

[G.o.d said,] "You shall not murder."

EXODUS 20:13.

MOST OF US haven't killed anybody, so we can check this one off the Top Ten list. But is that all this commandment means? Jesus gave us two important insights about this issue. First, He instructed us to "love the LORD your G.o.d with all your heart . . . and . . . your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). All the rest of the commands throughout the Bible, He explained, are wrapped into these two commands. Our goal, then, is not simply to avoid the crime of first-degree murder. If we respond to G.o.d's gracious invitation to know Him and experience His grace, we'll love even our enemies instead of wanting to kill them.

Jesus' second insight is that in G.o.d's eyes hating people is the same as murder (see Matthew 5:21-22). G.o.d looks at our intention, and when we harbor bitterness and the desire for revenge, we are far from the heart of G.o.d.

Throughout the Scriptures and in human history, we see that G.o.d is incredibly patient with people who are slow to respond, and He forgives those-people like us-who fall short of loving Him and others with their whole hearts. The more we experience His forgiveness, the more we'll forgive those who inflame our pa.s.sion for revenge. But we won't just wash our hands of them and stand back. We'll care for them and wish the best for them. We'll treasure family and friends, overlooking many of their shortcomings; forgiving others; and at all times, treating them the way we long to be treated.

Murder? No, G.o.d wants us to be far removed from even the thought of it. Love is His ethic, His purpose, and His example for us to follow.

What do you think Jesus meant when He said that hatred is like murder?

Is there any animosity in your heart that needs to be replaced with G.o.d's love? If so, how can that happen?

"Wicked men obey from fear: good men, from love."-ARISTOTLE

AUGUST 8.

MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD.

[G.o.d said,] "You shall not commit adultery."

EXODUS 20:14.

LIKE THE PREVIOUS COMMANDMENT, G.o.d's prohibition against adultery means far more than meets the eye. More than simply avoiding premarital or extramarital s.e.x, G.o.d wants us to treasure our spouses and not allow anything to erode the delight we can experience in marriage.

In marriage, friction is inevitable, but in our culture, the pace of life and the countless distractions seem to magnify minor moments of friction into roaring fires of resentment. When we are dissatisfied, our minds drift, and our eyes stay too long on a photo in a magazine, the shape of a coworker's body, or the images on an Internet site. Before long, the unthinkable becomes possible, and we gradually slide toward tremendous pain.

It's not enough to acknowledge the stresses of our culture on our marriage. That's a good starting point, but we need to make a significant investment in the life and strength of our most important human relationship. We need to spend time and other resources to build trust, have fun, and win back the heart of one who may be drifting. Relationships don't remain static. They either move forward or backward. Make sure you are investing your energies and pa.s.sions in creating the best marriage on the planet!

What are some factors that cause a couple's delight in each other to erode?

If you are married or dating, what is one thing you can do today to express genuine affection to the person you love?

"There are some things, like faithfulness in marriage, that are black and white issues."-ZIG ZIGLAR

AUGUST 9.

KEEP YOUR MITTS OFF!.

[G.o.d said,] "You shall not steal."

EXODUS 20:15.

LIKE THE COMMAND AGAINST MURDER, this one goes beyond the prohibition of criminal activity and focuses on our heart att.i.tudes. An insatiable thirst for more, no matter the means we use to get it, shows that our hearts are focused on things rather than on G.o.d. That, the Bible says clearly, is idolatry. Stealing to get more may be an extreme example, but the jealousy that our yearning for more creates is a more common ailment. And jealousy ruins hearts and relationships.

If we trace jealousy back to its root, we find a gnawing lack of trust in G.o.d's goodness. Instead of being thankful for all He has given us, we compare our possessions and pleasures with those our friends enjoy, too often find that we don't measure up, and do whatever it takes to get what we don't have. But even when we have more than others around us, we still aren't satisfied for very long because we look at the lives of the rich and famous and feel that nagging discontent again.

A window into our souls is the ratio of thankful thoughts to musings about the things we want but don't have. If that ratio is tilted the wrong way, the sheer weight of our thoughts tips us over into jealousy, envy, and discontent. Thankfulness, though, is a choice, not just a feeling. We are wise to do whatever it takes to rivet our minds on the goodness of G.o.d and the riches, both material and nonmaterial, He has given us.

What's the ratio of thankfulness to the desire for more in your thought life?

Take some time now to make a list of things you are thankful for.

"When we do more than we are paid to do, eventually we will be paid more for what we do."-ZIG ZIGLAR

AUGUST 10.

TELL THE TRUTH.

[G.o.d said,] "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

EXODUS 20:16.

THE COMMAND TO AVOID BEARING FALSE WITNESS sounds like a script from a John Grisham novel. It certainly means to speak "the whole truth and nothing but the truth" under oath in court, but G.o.d wants us to be honest both in and out of the courtroom.

We break this commandment when we exaggerate the truth to impress our friends or coworkers, and we break it when we gossip in order to ruin others' reputations. When we gossip, we may be speaking the truth but we speak with selfish motives. And quite often, the devious thrill of gossiping pushes us over the edge so that we make sure we amplify any perceived wrong the person has done, and we conveniently forget the better traits of his or her character. Of course, we also transgress this command when we outright lie to cover a sin we've committed.

There are many reasons to tell the truth and to tell it with humility and grace. We follow the pattern of Christ, who embodied both truth and grace. When we are committed to the truth, we don't have to look over our shoulders all the time to see whether we're going to get caught. The truth may be painful at times, but it shows that we trust G.o.d with reality instead of trying to create our own version of it. And eventually-probably in this life but certainly in the one to come-we will have to face the consequences of our deceptions. These are good reasons to speak the truth all the time.

What are some benefits and consequences of "white" lies?

How can you take steps to speak the truth instead of exaggerating or deceiving?

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."-MARK TWAIN

AUGUST 11.

I WANT YOURS!.

[G.o.d said,] "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."

EXODUS 20:17.