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Paraphrasing
In the book Fearfully & Wonderfully Made, written by Paul Brand & Philip Yancey, Dr. Brand paraphrases the Ten Commandments saying, "As I contemplate these once-forbidding commandments, more and more they sound like positive affirmations." I thought I'd share them with you:
I love you so much that I will give you Myself. I am true reality, the only God you will ever need. In Me alone will you find wholeness.
I desire a wonderful thing: a direct, personal relationship between Myself and each of you. You don't need inferior representations of Me, such as dead wooden idols. You can have Me. Value that.
I love you so much that I have given you My name. You will be known as "God's people" on the earth. Value the privilege; don't misuse it by profaning your new name 00.
I have given you a beautiful world to work in, play in, and enjoy. In your involvement, though, set aside a day to remember where the world came from. Your bodies need the rest; your spirits need the reminder.
Human life is sacred. I gave it, and it has enormous worth. Cling to it. Respect it; it is the image of God ...
The deepest human relationship possible is marriage ... To spread what is meant for marriage alone among a variety of people will devalue and destroy that relationship. Save sex and intimacy for its rightful place within marriage.
I am entrusting you with property. You can own things, and you should use them responsibly. Ownership is a great privilege. For it to work, you must respect everyone else's right to ownership; stealing violates that right.
I am a God of truth. Relationships only succeed when they are governed by truth. A lie destroys contracts, promises, trust. You are worthy of trust: express it by not lying.
I have given you good things to enjoy: oxen, grains, gold, furniture, musical instruments. But people are always more important than things. Love people; use things. Do not use people for your love of things.
-Maria Lund