Rather than give you a thesis on how wonderful Torah is, and the blessings of obedience, I’d like to put this on the bottom shelf.  I’d like to give you a top ten list that will give you a very clear picture of why we keep Torah.  Enjoy!

Top Ten Excuses children use for not cleaning their room.  (Or top ten reasons people don’t keep Torah.)

10.  I can’t clean it perfectly, because I can’t reach under the bed.  So I just won’t bother.
9.  I’ll wipe the kitchen table off, and that will be good enough.
8.  I don’t feel a warm desire inside to clean, so I don’t have to.
7.  Only 16 year olds with red hair are expected to clean their rooms anymore.  The rest of us don’t have to.
6.  I’ll clean it on Tuesday, today’s not a good day for me.
5.  Mommy really doesn’t mean “clean your room,” she means “tell your friends to brush their teeth.”
4.  I don’t understand why I have to clean my room.
3.  Dustcloths and vacuums are not cool.
2.  I’m okay with picking up my clothes, but making beds is completely out of date.
1.  Mommy made her bed, so now I don’t have to make mine.

Just in case you missed it, let me translate that list into the reasons people don’t keep Torah.

10.  The law is impossible to keep, so why try?
9.  I can invent my own ways to worship God.
8.  I don’t have a conviction to obey.
7.  The law is only for the Jews.
6.  I can worship God on Sunday.
5.  I can spiritualize the law, in effect removing the need to obey.
4.  The law doesn’t make sense to me.
3.  I don’t want to be different from other people.
2.  I can pick and choose the laws I obey.
1.  The Messiah kept the law, so I don’t have to.

If you are finding yourself holding onto anything on this list, I would encourage you to put your faith in action.  Begin to obey, and then watch as your Heavenly Father shows you the meaning and the blessing of keeping His precious Torah.  If you claim to be part of His family, then please begin following His house rules.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

(1Jn 5:3)

Many of my precious brothers and sisters in the house of YHVH are doing their best to obey the house rules.  Praise YHVH!  I just want to encourage you that we are asked to try, not keep it perfectly.  Just keep “cleaning your room,” and YHVH will be there to help you get the stuff under the bed.  🙂

Shabbat Shalom!