September 8, 2026 Devo

Many people think the Bible is just a book of rules. They miss the point that the Bible is actually God’s love letter to the human race. God created us. We ran from Him. In His love, He pursued us, purchased us, and offered us an opportunity to be in a loving relationship with Him. But the people who don’t understand that are right about one thing. The Bible does have a lot of rules. And those rules are out of His love for us.
Think about it. What loving parent doesn’t have a laundry list of rules for their children? Rules that are meant for their protection. Like wearing a helmet when you ride a bike. Wearing a seatbelt when you’re riding in a car. No playing in the street. No wandering the streets after dark. No getting in the car with strangers. No running with scissors. And my personal favorite—no BB guns. “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
We have health rules for our kids. Eat your vegetables. Go to bed by a certain time to get enough sleep. Brush your teeth. Take a shower. Use soap. Wash your hair. Limit junk food. Wear sunscreen. Drink water. Go to the doctor. We have rules about how late they can stay out or stay up. We have rules about going to school, doing homework, and the grades we expect them to get. We have rules about going to church, what they can watch on television, and how much screen time they can have on their phones.
Rules rule. Only uncaring parents don’t have rules for their kids. There are rules to protect them from dangers they’re often not even aware of yet. There are rules to help their bodies and minds grow healthy and strong. There are rules to help them chart a path to success and maturity. There are rules to protect them from themselves. The rules are there so that they will LIVE!
That’s what you hear in the voice of God in our passage today. God tells Ezekiel to point out all the ways that His People are disobeying Him and breaking all the guidelines that He gave them along the way. He calls them back to obedience, not to be mean or overbearing. God does it out of LOVE. He wants them safe. He wants them healthy. He wants them to be prosperous and successful. He wants them to LIVE! And the same is true for us. Don’t fight God over His rules. Celebrate them. And be thankful you have a Father who loves you enough to care! That’s God’s Word for you today.