Loving God, his people and our community

Exodus 20 v 17 The 10th Commandment

It is not wrong to desire or want things. What is wrong is that you would be driven to desire things so that you would have them and other people would not. It is a corrupt view of the world that God has made. It is wrong not to recognise that the creative genius in people is God-given. It is for us to enjoy the creation and to say that is good or beautiful.

What is coveting? Thomas Watson, a 17th century puritan preacher, said it was two things, an insatiable desire that overwhelms us and, secondly, an inappropriate love for something we shouldn’t have love for. We shouldn’t allow God’s laws to be cast aside in our minds and hearts and let anything come into our lives that takes more importance than God. This command is about not making idols – breaking this command is a stepping stone to breaking all the other commands. Possessions shouldn’t dominate our lives. In Hebrew 13 v 5 Paul says “be content with what you have”.

We can’t do it alone. God can give us a new heart so that we can look to him and put him first.