Christian Reflection and Prayer

“You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live,
and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where
I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must
obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the
LORD your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person
who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.”
— Leviticus 18:3–5

God cautioned the nation of Israel: “You must not do as they
do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as
they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you … You
must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees … for
the person who obeys them will live by them.” God was telling
the Israelites that they were not to follow the crowd. They were
to swim against the stream and go against the flow in order to
obey God. And here’s the punch line: “the person who obeys
them will live by them.”

Our natural instinct is to be afraid of challenging the status quo.
We might be laughed at or in some places even killed for
different beliefs. But God is telling us, if we want to live, we have
to stand up for what is right. God is the source of our protection
and blessings. When we fear only Him, we will live and prosper.
It’s when we stray that we should be truly afraid.

In what areas of your life is God calling you to stand out from the
crowd? Where is it that you need to swim against the stream?
Don’t be afraid to do things differently. Stand up for God and He
will stand for you. Swim upstream; it’s the path that will carry
you to God.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT!! NOT WHAT OTHERS
SAY IS RIGHT BUT WITH GOD'S WILL IN YOUR LIFE.
WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT!)