Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” KJV

For Israel:

When the Israelites left Egypt, they had to leave behind more than they bargained for. As mentioned, they stayed in Egypt for 400 years and by then they were set in their ways and had houses, animals and communities. I believe some even married into the wealth Egypt offered. They left behind their comfort in the wilderness. How many people go from rich to poor and feel blessed, no one right? Naturally, because like us, the Israelites were fleshly, and they longed for Egypt and their riches and comforts. When God wrote the Tenth commandment in stone it changed the dynamics of our actions. This command is now turned from external action to internal desire. God’s focus is turned inwards to their hearts and not their actions. The reason they were in the desert for forty years was because off their disobedience and lust for Egyptian comfort, something that was not theirs in the first place. 

For today:

The keyword here is “covet” which means to want something that is not yours, you crave or lust after something. Now, did we not cover this in the other commandments? Yes, we did, and the tenth commandment covers the reason we violate the six, seven, eight and nine commandments. What you desire in your heart will be your actions in the future. This commandment speaks to what we desire sinfully. It is a sin that overstep the boundaries or long for the greener grass on the other side. We can have healthy desires, like a better relationship with God. God demands a heart of purity and righteousness. A heart that is inward twisted and deformed by covetous desires, stands guilty before the righteous Judge of the world. If we are thankful and content with what we have, we will forget about what we do not have. Thankfulness for all the little and big things in your life will make you happy and you will love God more and then He will bless you with more.

Prayer: Lord, we often want things we can’t afford or when we look over and see we have less than our neighbours. We look at someone and think they have it all, the beauty, the car, and the career. We feel ungrateful for what we have and always want more. Help us Lord to be thankful for what You have given us. Let us be content with what we have and let us truly hold it in your heart every second of every day. You are thankful and command us to be thankful too. Provide for every need Lord, in Jesus Name, Amen.

By Marie Swanepoel for www.womenoftheword.co.za