Winning Ways: Our "Ten Commandments" Study Starts Sunday!

The 300 year-old pecan tree doesn't look like the others in a woody area of Dallas. About 25 feet of the trunk runs parallel to the ground before jutting vertically toward the sky.

It's a native American trail marker, and it makes me think of another "trail marker" waiting to be rediscovered.

The Statesman covered this story in June. Trail markers were formed by native Americans, who bent young trees so that the trunks would grow into pointers. The markers indicated the direction of low-water creek crossings or sacred sites. Arborists and history buffs across the nation have been busy identifying and preserving these pieces of living history.

As I said, the story makes me think of another "trail marker" waiting to be rediscovered. This Sunday the Hillcrest Family will begin a careful look at the Ten Commandments. Native Americans used trees to tell those coming behind them, "This is the way you want to go." In the same way, generations of believers all around the world have pointed to the Ten Commandments and said, "Don't miss the good life. Here's where you can find it."

Indian trail markers have gotten lost by neglect or urban encroachment. And, of course, there are forces at work to obscure the Ten Commandments, too. In the news this week a public school on the outskirts of Philadelphia has been forced to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments that has stood on the property for 50 years. To avoid a lawsuit, they've covered up the ancient laws until they can remove the offending statue. It's unsettling to see photos of God's words covered in plywood as if it was a shameful thing.

But we can have a debate about posting the Ten Commandments in public spaces another time. What I'm interested in is how well we post them in our hearts. That's what we'll be doing at Hillcrest for the next 10 weeks.

We're calling our series "God's Perfect 10," and the series is for all ages. Preschoolers and children and youth and adults--we'll all have our own age-appropriate exploration of God's Perfect 10.

Pray for our series, and think about someone who should join you this week. In fact, you could send this newsletter article to them with an invitation to join you. This ancient "trail marker" is worth rediscovering!

 

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