Deuteronomy 5: A True Gift OR Impossible Standards?

"Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy."— Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT)

For much of my life, I have looked at the 10 commandments almost as rules, obligations, or impossible standards.

Today, I had a revelation. What if every commandment is actually a gift?

Think about the Sabbath for a minute. We often recognize that it’s not just a rule to follow—it’s a blessing. God wants us to rest, to be refreshed, to spend time with Him. It’s a command, yes, but it’s also an invitation to something good. What if that’s true for all of the commandments? What if, instead of restrictions, they are actually protections?

What if they exist not to control us, but to free us?

This perspective shift changes everything for me. I think back to my time as a classroom teacher. None of the rules I put in place were meant to be harsh or to punish. They were there to create a

safe environment, a place where every child could thrive. Without them, there would be chaos, hurt feelings, distractions and learning would be a challenge. The rules were necessary—not to control the students, but to protect them AND set them on a path to success. What if the same is true of the commandments given to the Israelites?

The 10 Commandments aren’t there to hold us back, to make us feel like failures, or to crush us under the weight of expectation. They are there because He knows what is best for us. When I step outside of His commands, I’m not just breaking a rule—I’m stepping outside from under His protection.

The commandments are gifts. They are a reflection of His love. They are guardrails to keep me from walking into destruction. What a reminder the commandments aren't burdens they are blessings. I have struggled a lot with the old testament and many of the things I read. I continuously ask the Lord to show me His heart behind the things Im reading. I don't want to misunderstand the intent or even worse, attach the wrong attributes to His character.