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Bible Project: What Are the Ten Commandments All About?

We often think of the Ten Commandments as a list of dos and don’ts—the things you need to do to make God happy. But is that what they’re really about? In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they take a deep dive into the Ten Commandments and find out why they’re more about preserving proper worship of Yahweh and the shared dignity of humans.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen with Overcast 

Show Notes:

God redeems a people from slavery, [where they acquired an identity]. In slavery they were molded—their life, their environment, their choices … to serve the Egyptian empire and its gods. So when Yahweh redeems a people, he takes them out to the middle of nowhere, where they have no land and no social identity. He’s remaking the people. The laws represent the way that Israel’s communal identity, story, and values are reshaped and recreated.

Key Takeaways

  • God’s laws are about giving an identity to God’s chosen ones, not about simulating moral perfection. Put another way, following the laws isn’t about making God happy—following the laws creates a lifestyle that reflects God’s image to the nations.
  • While the first four commandments detail parameters for Israel’s relationship with Yahweh, the fifth and following commandments all specify ways in which Israelites are to treat others.
  • Each of the Ten Commandments is as much about honoring Yahweh as they are about honoring and dignifying other humans as God’s image bearers. For instance, when humans make idols and worship them, they’re not only investing in a created thing the reverence and glory that should only belong to Yahweh, but robbing themselves of their own dignity as God’s image bearers.

The Purpose Of God’s Laws

In part one (0-11:00), Tim and Jon pick up the story of Exodus at the climactic moment where we left off in our last episode: Moses walking straight into the fire of God’s presence on Mount Sinai. In this episode, we’re wrapping up the second movement of the Exodus scroll, where we’ve been tracing the theme of the test. Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai is part of a test too. As part of forging his covenant with Israel, Yahweh invites Israel to come into his presence on the mountain (Exodus 19), but they refuse and send Moses up in their stead (Exodus 20-24). On Mount Sinai, Yahweh gives Moses the Ten Commandments and 42 additional laws. These are by no means exhaustive—Israel will eventually have 613 laws. But they represent the terms of Yahweh’s covenant with Israel. The laws are about giving an identity to God’s chosen ones, not necessarily about simulating moral perfection. Put another way, following the laws isn’t about making God happy—following the laws creates a lifestyle that reflects God’s image to the nations. For more on Israel’s law system, check out our videos The Law and How to Read the Bible: Biblical Law, as well as our corresponding podcast episodes on the law and how to read it.

Commands About Bearing God’s Image

In part two (11:00-28:50), Tim and Jon dive into discussion about the first three commandments (Exodus 20:1-7). Each of the Ten Commandments is linked directly to God’s character and the role of humans to bear his image. For instance, the first commandment, ”You shall have no other gods before me,” could be referring to literally putting no idol statues in front of Yahweh’s presence, or it could refer to having no other gods that take priority over Yahweh. No matter how you interpret it, however, this command is linked directly to Yahweh’s action in the exodus.

Exodus 20:2-3

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. Yahweh reminds Israel of who he has shown himself to be. It’s his deliverance and character that warrants their loyalty. The second commandment involves not just proper worship of Yahweh, but proper respect for humans as well.

Exodus 20:4

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any image of what is in the skies above or on the land below or in the water under the land. Yahweh has already created an image of himself: humans. He’s preserving both the sanctity of his own worship and the responsibility of humans to bear his image. When humans make idols and worship them, they’re not only investing in a created thing the reverence and glory that should only belong to Yahweh, but robbing themselves of their own dignity as God’s image bearers. In a similar way, the third command, which prohibits “carrying God’s name in vain,” is about more than simply invoking Yahweh’s name in a profane manner. It has to do with the God-given responsibility of humans to carry God’s name and bear his image in a way that accurately represents his character. To carry Yahweh’s name is all-encompassing for a person’s life.

How To Treat Image Bearers

In part three (28:50-62:00), Tim and Jon discuss the rest of the Ten Commandments. Up first is God’s instruction to honor the Sabbath.

Exodus 20:8

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of Yahweh your God. Beyond its obvious connection to Genesis 1-2, the command for sabbath rest draws readers back to the exodus, where Israel’s deliverance culminated in the celebration of Passover and the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. In Exodus 12-13, Yahweh commands Israel to commemorate the first and seventh days of this feast as sabbath days. The Israelites leave Egypt the night of this second sabbath, painting Israel’s exodus as Israel’s recreation. Even as Yahweh de-creates Egypt, he recreates Israel out of the destruction. The sabbath command also brings to mind the seventh day rest after a week of collecting manna in the wilderness. Yahweh’s commands about work and rest are ultimately about establishing the principle that his image bearers do not live by their work alone, but by trusting his goodness and provision. While the first four commandments detail parameters for Israel’s relationship with Yahweh, the fifth and following commandments all specify ways in which Israelites are to treat others. Each of these commandments is rooted in the shared identity of humans as God’s image bearers. For instance, as parents are called to be an image of God to their children, so children are meant to honor their parents—not by worshiping them as they would Yahweh, but by giving them respect as Yahweh’s representatives. Murder wrongfully appropriates the authority over life and death that only belongs to Yahweh. Adultery undermines the union of man and woman that is part of God’s ideal for humanity in the Eden story. Stealing from another person also robs their dignity as image bearers.

Cultivating Desire

In part four (62:00-1:10:11), the guys conclude with a closer look at the tenth commandment, the prohibition against desiring or coveting something that belongs to your neighbor. Jon raises the question, “How can we control desires when they seem to just ‘appear’? Isn’t it more important to control what we do with our desires?” Perhaps we can’t control our desires, but we can do more than just discipline how we react to them. We have an ability to cultivate our desires by what we choose to invest in, think about, pursue. For example, practicing gratitude for what we have can help us keep from coveting the belongings of another person. It’s also easier to align our desires with God’s when we trust his character—his desires for us are good for us.

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Ten Commandments: Series Details

Can you list the Ten Commandments off the top of your head? Surveys say that many Christians cannot. Maybe that’s because we don’t understand what they are all about.

We might still find these biblical commandments displayed in our modern halls of justice as they have served as a foundation for the moral laws of many nations. But is there more to them than that?

Through this study we will spend time asking questions like; What kind of God would give these commandments? What kind of people need to be given them? What do they have to do with us today?  What we will find is God’s directions for His people to step into the reality of God’s great plan for blessing the nations and making all things new.

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Revelation: Series Details & Resources

Revelation likely informs and motivates more of our faith than we realize. It is in Revelation that we see Christ coming again, His final victory over Satan, and perhaps our clearest picture of eternity. How we think about those things impacts how we interact with just about everything in the present world; From how we think and vote politically to how we deal with death. 

This letter informs so much, yet many Christians would admit that they have a hard time understanding it. Afterall, Revelation is filled with so many images and symbols, which are deeply rooted in the Old Testament, yet have been interpreted numerous ways by modern readers. 

In Revelation 1:8, Jesus says “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ … ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This points to what we hope to find together as we study this prophetic vision that Jesus unfolds; A Heavenly glimpse into what is and was and is to come so that we can live from a higher worldview than we could have on our own. 

Our desire is to become increasingly aware of who our reigning King is and what He is doing, so that we are better equipped to live faithfully and joyfully in the place we are at in Christ’s grand story of redemption. 

Recommended Resources – 

The Bible Project Guides – Book of Revelation

Revelation For Everyone Bible Study Guides – N.T. Wright. These will be available in our resource center. Donations of $9 per book are appreciated.

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20th Anniversary Celebration

Redemption Church was planted in 2005. It’s hard to believe we’re turning 20 years old! One thing we know for sure is that God has been faithful and good to us through the years. As Psalm 126:3 says, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”
We’re ready to celebrate the goodness of God together! Will you join us?
It seems like countless people have been a part of Redemption Church, originally The Well, over the last 20 years. Some have moved away, seasons of life have led many elsewhere near and far, and we want you to know how thankful we are for all who have been a part of our story.  If you are able, make plans to come and celebrate with us Saturday, February 22nd.   More details coming soon!
If you can’t make it, or even if you can, send us your favorite memories, stories of how God worked in your life here, pictures if you’ve got them, and prayers as we look forward to what God has in store next.
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Church Around The Table – Sermon Notes + Discussion Questions

We tend to have this idea that this thing we do on Sunday is what the church is all about and what it has always been about, but it isn’t.

The people that Jesus gathered and called His friends and commissioned weren’t gathered around a stage – they gathered around a table.

They did the things that we all do everyday in order to survive – and they did them together. Things like eating and drinking and working and so on.

But as they did it, they intentionally made space for others to be cared for, provided for, valued, and shown the great love of God.

My bet is, that for the majority of us who are Christians, if we look back over our own stories of how we have been transformed by the love of Jesus, most of our most impactful moments came through the hospitality of another.

Somebody who shared coffee with you. Somebody who took time to play a round of golf, or some other sport with you. Somebody who invited us into their home, into their circle, and made a place for us at the table.

The way we will make the real Jesus known in our community is by becoming a people who do what Jesus does by focusing less on the church around a stage and practicing becoming the church around the table.”

Questions to consider and discuss:

1. Jesus loves you and humbly laid down His life for you. How does His love free you to love others?

2. What acts of hospitality have you experienced that have revealed the love of Jesus to you? How did they impact you?

3. What are you already doing that could easily be used to love others the way Jesus loves them?

If you missed it you can watch the service here:

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Practice 7: Week of 11/6

READING THE BIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATION

BEGIN WITH SILENCE AND PRAYER (5 MINUTES)

Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting (around a table, on the couch, the floor of a living room, etc.). Invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together before spending a brief moment in silence. Hardness of hearing is an unfortunate side effect of the frenetic pace in which many of us conduct our lives. When your community comes together in the hopes of speaking to and hearing from God, even a momentary measure of silence can work to slow and silence the swirling chaos around us, that we might hear what God is saying in and through one another.

GROUP DISCUSSION: (10 MINUTES)

1. Do you enjoy reading the Scriptures, or does it feel like a chore? Why?

2. When you read the Scriptures, do you feel as though you actually meet with and connect with God? Why or why not?

READ THIS OVERVIEW (5 MINUTES)

Our aim for this Fall has been to take part together in the most important component of our apprenticeship to Jesus – being with him. And so each of the practices we have taken part in this Fall have been about setting aside time and space to do just that – being with Jesus.

● silence and solitude: slowing down and calling our attention the reality of God’s nearness to us and with us

● abiding: making space and time to actually call our hearts and minds to learn or relearn how to remain in that reality

● emotional awareness: growing in awareness of our own hearts and emotional state and then being honest about it before God and one another

● casting cares: taking Jesus up on his invitation to bring him our burdens in exchange for his peace

For practices seven and eight the goal remains the same – the practices are built to facilitate being with Jesus – specifically through time reading and reflecting on the Bible. Most of us are familiar and comfortable with the concept of reading the Bible, however many of us wrestle with being formed by what we are learning. That’s why we have opted to take on the practice of lectio divina. Lectio divina has been used as a method of devotional Bible reading in the Christian church since the 6th century. Lectio divina is not meant as a replacement of Bible study or sound biblical hermeneutics, rather it is best used in partnership with Bible study to help us get what we are learning into our hearts and hands. The practice consists of five distinct movements: Preparing to meet with God, Reading, Reflection, Response, Rest. This week we will be practicing this as individuals.

VIDEO PROMPT (3 MINUTES)

THE PRACTICE (15 MINUTES)

Using Psalm 1, read and move slowly through each of the five movements.

1. Prepare to meet with God: Turn your phone off and leave it in another room. Situate yourself comfortably in a quiet, solitary place. Calm your body and quiet your mind before God as you work to prepare your heart to receive what God has spoken, and to respond accordingly. Finally, invite the Holy Spirit to guide your thinking and feeling as you read.

2. Read: Read the passage slowly and carefully, read the passage three times. Take your time. As you move through the text, pay close attention to what words and ideas draw your attention in unique ways. When your focus is drawn to a particular word or thought, pause and reflect.

3. Reflect: Upon completing the passage, return to the beginning and read one more time. On your fourth journey through the text, allow the text to connect with you personally. Which words or phrases resonate with your heart, your season of life, your person in this moment.

4. Respond: Talk to God about your experience. This is a time to connect with God, asking questions that might arise or listening for insight from the Spirit.

5. Rest: Pause to sit in God’s presence before fleeing from the moment. You might express wonder, awe, gratitude, or praise through words, or you might allow yourself to feel and experience these things quietly before God. This is a step of waiting on God without resistance.

Note: It can be helpful to write your word or phrase somewhere and take it with you as a reminder for the week.

GROUP DISCUSSION: (10-15 MINUTES)

1. What word or phrase did you reflect on in your time?

2. What do I need to know, or be, or do in light of the text?

3. Name one step you can take this week to move from “heart to hand”.

4. Make a plan to read Psalm 1 five days this week.

CLOSE IN PRAYER (10 MINUTES)

 

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Practice 4: Week of 9/26

PRACTICE 4

As you begin, take a few moments to pray as a missional community and invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.

Eat & Debrief 25 min
While eating dinner, spend a few minutes catching up on life and then talk about the following debrief questions. If your group is larger than 7, you may find it beneficial to split into groups of 3-5 for this portion, “open the Bible together”, and “discussion questions” at the end.

  1. How did it go this past week?
  2. Was it easy or difficult to “let yourself feel”?
  3. Did you feel comfortable being honest with the Father about your emotions?
  4. What did “processing” those emotions with the Father look like for you? (If you did not get here last week, that is ok, no need to feel any pressure)

Open the Bible together 10 min
Have someone read Psalm 13 & 30:1-5 and talk about the following questions:

  1. What are some of the emotions you see present in the Psalms we’ve read?
  2. Notice the repetition of the phrase, “How long?” in Psalm 13; are there feelings that you have held onto for long periods of time?
  3. Are you able to name your emotions like David did in these Psalms?

The Explanation & Prompt 10 min
Watch the video prompt together as a group.

1. Put away your phone or any other distractions, settle into your time/place with a” Breathing Prayer” (this is just a fancy term for ↓)

• Close your eyes. Take long, deep, slow breaths. Release the constant chatter in your mind. Let each thought go as quickly as it comes, and just focus on your breathing.

2. Take a few moments to “Abide”. Focus your mind and heart on the reality of God’s nearness and that if you are a follower of Jesus, you have been given the Holy Spirit.

  • This is a good exercise regardless of whether we feel anything or not.
  • If you have trouble, it may be helpful to say/write something like, “God, you are here with me, thank you that you are good”. Stay here as long as it takes to be able to remain/abide/hold on to this truth.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead as you take a moment to “Self-Reflect”. It’s helpful to ask yourself a few questions: “What am I experiencing now?”; “What have I been experiencing lately?”; “What is/has been going on in my heart and mind?”.

    1. God is not interested in falsehood or pretense.
    2. Let yourself feel. What emotions rise to the surface, big or small?
    3. Name “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of your emotional state.
    4. Don’t run away from what you’re feeling.
    5. Remember: our emotions aren’t something to avoid. Instead, they are a place to meetGod and open yourself up to him in new ways.
    6. Acknowledge the full truth about “where you are” and “what you feel” with God. Honestly share this with the Father. Sit with it for a moment, knowing that he hears and is present and desires intimacy with us in both our most joyful and darkest moments.

• If you find yourself struggling here, it may be worth returning to step 3 and reading Psalm 23 and sitting with it, and then re-entering steps 4 and 5.

4. Share your heart and process with the Father. There is no script for this, but the idea is to pour out/unpack your heart/what’s going on with God.

5. Invite the Holy Spirit to make known the heart of the Father for us, along with clarity or wisdom. There is no need to rush or force this. We can trust the Spirit is at work in and among us more deeply and long before and after this prayer.

The Practice 15 min
Dismiss everyone to go find a spot for the practice. Return to the same group you debriefed with.

Work through these discussion questions 10 min

  1. What did you find easy or difficult?
  2. Did you feel comfortable being vulnerable with the Father about your emotions?
  3. What did “processing” those emotions with the Father look like for you?

Close in prayer 5 min ______________________

Tips for the Coming Week

1. This is the type of practice that might take some time. Emotions can be hard, and naming them can be confusing. If you are having a difficult time putting a name to your emotions try using a “feelings wheel” to better define your emotions.

2. Keeping a journal can also be helpful for learning to name and understand emotions.

3. Lean on your community in times of difficulty, celebrate with them in times of joy!

 

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Lent 2021

Lent begins this Wednesday, February 17th. Traditionally, Lent is a 40 day period of fasting, prayer and devotion towards remembering our brokenness and God’s work of redemption through the person and work of Jesus Christ. This season leads up to Good Friday, when we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, and all that He accomplished through His work on the cross; knowing that an empty tomb lies just beyond it. 

At Redemption Church, we don’t insist on a particular way to observe Lent. However, we do want to invite you to turn to Jesus with intentionality in this season. 

Set aside some time for prayer and reading from Scripture each day. There are a great number of resources out there to help guide you through the season. You’ll find a few recommendations below. 

Perhaps fasting from something is appropriate, but it isn’t required. John Piper writes that “As Jesus teaches it, fasting is an intensely Godward act. Do it toward God, who sees when others don’t.” If you fast, do it to help set your gaze on Jesus and to honor Him above all else. 

Recommended Resources:

Lenten Journaling Prompts – Caleb Humphrey

Caleb Humphrey is a member of Redemption Church, and he has put together a few prompts that you can use to help you keep a journal throughout the Lenten season. 

God is on the Cross: Reflections on Lent and Easter​ – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“​These forty stirring devotions​ will guide and inspire readers as they move thematically through the weeks of Lent and Easter, encountering themes of prayerful reflection, self-denial, temptation, suffering, and the meaning of the cross. Passages from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s letters and sermons provide special encouragement as readers prepare themselves spiritually for Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Supplemented by an informative introduction to Bonhoeffer’s life and a Scripture passage for each day of the season, these daily devotions are moving reminders of the true gift of Christ on the cross.”

 Lenten Devotionals – Redeemer Presbyterian Church

“In 2011 Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York published ​40 Lenten Devotions​ written by a variety of authors including Kathy Keller. Due to popular demand over successive years, RPC has continued to make the devotions available to help their people ‘prepare their hearts for Easter.”

This devotional material is available through the ​You Version Bible app.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Lent Guide – Sally Lloyd-Jones

This guide includes:

    • A Letter to Friends (big and little) from Sally
    • A paper chain reading plan template, counting the 40 days of Lent
    • A reading plan calendar, with a corresponding chapter from The Jesus Storybook Bible to read each day
    • Coloring pages from the Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book, illustrated by Jago
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Downtown Augusta Mural Guide

This year has been difficult to say the least. Redemption Church started holding our worship gatherings solely online on March 15th. In August, we made the difficult decision to not hold our regular Sunday worship gatherings throughout the Fall. We have missed one another, and we have missed gathering to worship, serve, and fellowship together deeply. 

So, although we can’t gather in our traditional sense this season, we have started a weekly rhythm of gathering for communion, fellowship, and serving that we are calling Sundays on the Porch. This compliments our weekly Home Worship Guide which is found on our website each week and continues to host our worship through music, prayer, and preaching. 

Each week we wash our hands, put on our masks, and gather on our porch at 930 Broad Street in downtown Augusta for a walk-through liturgy. We then send the church into the neighborhood with some way to get to know or serve our city together.

Last week we decided to take a downtown mural tour together. Augusta is blessed with many talented artists whose paintings have been popping up on buildings all over downtown. They are stunning to look at and fun to take pictures with. But what I love about these many creations most is that our neighbors made them, and their creations reveal the passions, dreams, and heart of people who live, work, learn, and play alongside us everyday. 

I encourage you to go see these murals for yourself. We made an Augusta Mural Guide to help you take your own tour. 

What I see in many of these paintings is a love for Augusta. I hope they serve to inspire us all with a love for this place and for the people, the image bearers of God, who live here.

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Why We Say Black Lives Matter

This week we put up a new installation in our window on Broad St (pictured above) depicting a crowd of protestors with signs in the air. There are several Bible verses on the signs, and there is a banner across the top that says “Let Justice Roll,” which is taken from Amos 5:24. One of the signs affirms the truth that Black lives matter, because they really do, and Christians ought to stand up and say it and act accordingly.

For Christians, we should recognize the biblical truth that every person, regardless of their skin color, is created in the likeness of God and has intrinsic value. It is for this reason that we affirm the statement that Black lives matter. Jamar Tisby writes in The Color of Compromise, a book I highly recommend, “Black lives matter does not mean that only Black lives matter; it means that Black lives matter too. Given the racist patterns of devaluing black lives in America’s past, it is not obvious to many black people that everyone values black life.”

The phrase Black lives matter rose from the anguish and lament over the repeated unjust killing of Black people across our nation. Much like the recent rallying cry of I can’t breathe over the murder of George Floyd, Black lives matter became an expression that united protesters who were demanding justice for those who had been murdered and for the correction of the systemic oppression that was leading to their deaths. You probably know the names of some of those who have fallen; Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Water Scott, Jamar Cook, Rekia Boyd, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice. There are many more.

As the expression gained traction, the Black Lives Matter organization was founded to continue to push for change on several issues. It is not a faith based movement, and they advocate for things that stand in direct conflict with the church. This has caused many Christians to directly oppose not only the organization but the phrase itself.

Jemar Tisby notes that while many Christians oppose the organization and what it stands for “the American evangelical church has yet to form a movement as viable and potent that addresses the necessary concept that Black lives do indeed matter.” The result is that we stay silent, or we change the language to All lives matter, which is actually incredibly dismissive and beside the point.

Pastor and author Thabiti Anyabwile wrote about this tension on his Twitter account last month:

I believe that it is critical that we start digging into what is really underneath White Christian’s inability to say the words. Why do we have such trouble affirming the truth of the statement Black lives matter with a full stop? Do we really not recognize that built into the statement is a question of when Black lives will matter to White people specifically? I don’t believe that it is because there is an organization we disagree with that has that name. I believe there is more to it, and I believe we all have a lot of work that needs to be done on our racist hearts. I also believe that God is merciful and gracious and good enough to do it.

We often say that we want to be a church that makes the real Jesus known by being honest about our failures, loving the way Jesus loves, serving the city for the good of all, and inviting everybody into the family of God. We’ve been praying for diversity in our congregation as well. If that is really who we want to be, if it is really our heart’s desire, then we who are White can and should be very mindful of our tendency toward White supremacy that would have us believe that we get to change the language and terms before we can tell somebody that they are loved and cherished and valuable before God and to us in the language they are speaking.

In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus says “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (ESV). Could we be guilty of combing through the Black Lives Matter statements and beliefs in order to correct the speck in the eye of our crying brothers and sisters while we ignore the log of White supremacy that is in our own?

Now, I know that displaying the words Black lives matter in the church window alongside Scripture and the newer rallying cry of I can’t breathe might be challenging to some. That is okay. We can be challenged. We can talk about it with one another. We can prayerfully examine ourselves and ask God to expose and heal the sin and idolatry of racism and White supremacy that is in us. We can even, after doing such work, speak on our disagreements with the Black Lives Matter organization. What we cannot do is refuse to answer the cries of oppressed image bearers of God in their own language, nor can we continue to stay silent.

During this season of not gathering on Sunday mornings for worship, I’ve been personally convicted by how God tells His people repeatedly not to bring sacrifices, sing songs, or do any of the normal gathered worship things until they “cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression” (Isaiah 1:16-17, ESV). Jesus says in Matthew 5:23-24 that “if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (ESV). My prayer is, then, that we would take this moment of not gathering and purpose it to listen, recognize, pray, and act in a way that is glorifying our God as we learn to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV).