The story of Hagar and Ishmael shows us that even when things seem hopeless and we feel unseen, God can help. God’s help is not according to our timelines or methods, but God’s help is the best possible help.

Genesis 2 shows us that God recognized a problem for Adam that Adam may not have even understood himself. Then, God stepped into help, and created Eve. God is still the same today. Even when we can’t put our finger on what is wrong, God knows us, he understands our troubles, and he can help.

(Commandment 10) “To be American” is “to covet.” Coveting is the inward since which produces so many of the others: lying, theft, murder, adultery, and idolatry. The good news for us is that God has made a way through Jesus for us to be reconciled, and that Jesus truly is enough.

(Commandment 9) It’s easy for us to recognize the dishonesty in others. It’s less-so in ourselves. Commandment #9 was given to the Israelites to bolster their confidence in justice and community. Honesty serves the same function among God’s people today.

(Commandment 8) Most of us wouldn’t consider theft to be an issue we struggle with. But, it’s often the little things that lead to the biggest disasters. Commandment 8 – while quite short – is an important prohibition for God’s people. We don’t steal because we love God.

As God chooses to draw near to Israel in Exodus, he desires to make them special. He desires to make them his royal priesthood, his holy nation. To do that they must look different than the world. Their entirety will be shaped around him. Their sexuality is designed around him. We are a part of that kingdom—that holy nation. God defines our sexuality and calls us to be FAITHFUL.

(Commandment 6) As humans usurped God’s authority, they even claimed the right to decide life and death. God reserves this right for himself, and from Jesus we learn that even hate is equivalent to murder in God’s eyes. In response, followers of Jesus should seek life.

(Commandments 1-3) Ever since the Garden of Eden, we’ve been dealing with the fallout of putting ourselves in God’s place. The first three commandments speak to this tendency, and remind us to give God his proper place in our lives.

Jesus wraps up the Sermon on the Mount with four warnings. These warnings drive home the point that followers of Jesus must do, and not just hear. A great way to do – to practice our faith – is by serving. And just like a workbench is a good place to use your other tools, serving is a great way to use the other spiritual practices we’ve discussed this summer.

We are all hounded by our task lists, jobs, family obligations and more. If you ask the average person how they are, they’ll probably say, “busy!” God has created us to be more than just busy, and rest has been built into the cycle of creation. When our busyness and worry threatens to overwhelm, we need to turn to rest.