Reading your Bible for today February 17

February 17: Leviticus 19:35-37

KJV Key Verse: Leviticus 19:37
37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

Devotion:
Following the rules can be hard, especially when we have lived a life where we have not had to follow those rules. Before we were Christians, it was easy to fit in with others; you just bent the rules a bit so you could make yourself more like others. It did not matter if you broke the rules a little bit, after all, all your new friends were already breaking the rules.

But once you have accepted Christ into your life, that should all change. You should be thinking about those rules; you should be thinking about all the things God wants you to do in your new life with Him. You should be putting Him before your old rules, upholding that which is right, upholding laws. Not just because they are laws, but because it is what God wants us to do and not just that but because you want to change.

The Lord wants each one of us to be an example for Him. And what example are we going to be for Him if we are not following the local rules? What example are we going to be if we are found to be cheating or telling lies. What example are we going to be if we are not upholding all that is righteous.

How would people think we meant it if we were going behind their backs and doing the opposite of what we were telling them to do? How would we be able to tell them about the truth if we were hiding behind lies? How could we do anything for Christ if we are not going to follow His rules? God wants us to be honest, fair, just, law abiding and not just to those laws that we want to follow, but to all of them.

Points to Ponder:
Which rules do you regularly bend?

How pleased is God with your attitude?