Two-minute read.
“So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote the words of the covenant on the tablets, the Ten Commandments.”
Exodus 34:28
Supernatural care.
Moses fasted for forty days and nights when God gave him the Ten Commandments. Only with supernatural care could the leader survive that long without food and water. According to Healthline, without basic sustenance, a person can only live 8-21 days longer if they have water.[1] For Moses to last 40 days without nourishment, God had to intervene, and He did. Not only keeping Moses alive but giving him the basic rules of relationships.
When a scribe asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” He answered:
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
If you want to love God and others, follow the Ten Commandments. The first five tell you how to relate to the Lord, and the last five tell you how to relate to people. If you put the Ten Commandments into practice, you will have healthier, happier relationships with God and people, bottom line.
Fasting and praying help eliminate distractions from your relationship with God. Can you imagine how intensely Moses prayed after not eating for weeks? Alone, on a mountain, he clung to the Lord for sustenance, trusting His provision. And the Creator did not disappoint; not only did He take supernatural care of Moses, but God gave the Israelites directions on how to have relationships and live life to the fullest.
Because when you love God and people well, you will live fully. Life comes down to relationships; the deeper and more intimate they become, the more fully you will live. Placing God first, others second, and yourself last leads to joy. Place your trust in Jesus, and discover His supernatural care as you trust Him.
“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4
Through fasting and prayer, Moses discovered a deeper relationship with God and man than ever. We don’t live on bread alone but by every word from the Lord. Seeking Him earnestly will help us discover what Moses did, an intimacy with the Creator that we can’t find any other way.
Journal Questions:
- How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
- How does viewing the Ten Commandments as relationship tools change your perspective?
- What has God revealed to you through fasting and prayer?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for sustaining Moses on the mountain and giving us practical tools to use in our relationship with You and others. As we seek You through fasting and prayer, reveal truths we need to know. Help us discover a more intimate relationship with You. Assist us in applying the Ten Commandments to our lives so that we can develop healthier relationships with You and others. Let us become known for our love more than anything else. IJNIP. Amen
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-long-can-you-live-without-food
