Thoughts for the Day

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.....You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord.

You shall not defraud your neighbour; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a labourer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling-block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

You shall not render an unjust judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbour. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The book of Leviticus is all about being 'Holy'. God is Holy and His people should be holy. The word 'holy' means to be 'set apart', or to be special. As God exceeds His people in showing greater love, goodness, mercy and justice than humans, so God calls His people to show these characteristics. We see these commands to the people of Israel, throughout the book of Leviticus, which expand the original Ten Commandments.

Jesus himself picked up the last command, 'you shall love your neighbour as yourself'. When we love other people, not just our literal neighbour, but all people across our world, then we will relate to them in a different way, showing mercy, justice, and goodness to them. As God is holy, as God is pure, as God is good, so should we His people be holy. This Lent let us endeavour to follow this command.

Lord God,
You call us to be holy
as you are holy;
to treat others as we
would wish to be treated ourselves;
to love others
as we love ourselves;
and to approach You
with confidence each day.
Amen.