Scripture to Read: Exodus 21:28–36, 22:1–5, 19, 31
God continues to give us everything we need to walk in accordance with His ordinances (laws, statutes, truths) so that we honor Him through our daily decisions. Today, we focus on the Scriptures that deal with animals and how to care for them, what to do with them, and what we should not do with them. In Exodus 21:28–36, God gives the details on what to do if someone’s animal injures a person or another animal and if an animal is injured due to a pit being dug. Every person had a responsibility to care for their animals and to protect others from them too. God also gives details about the consequences of stealing someone's animals and where each person's animals should graze (Exodus 22:1–5). God even had to put in Exodus 22:19, “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.” This is a great reminder of how ungodly each person’s fleshly nature can be if not submitted to the authority of our Creator. Then, God gave a command in Exodus 22:31 that animals that other animals had killed were never to be eaten by humans but given to the dogs. Finally, God gave the command that if anyone found an animal wandering or possibly trapped under something to be sure and rescue that animal and return that animal to its owner. Animals were personal property and to love your neighbor as yourself, you must not only watch out for your property but also be loving and kind and watch out for your neighbor's property.
Challenge & Application
· How can you take care of your property and be sure that you watch out for your neighbor’s too?
· What are some modern-day examples of finding something that belongs to your neighbor and returning it to them?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!