How Important are those Ten Commandments?

This morning I picked up a Bible study workbook. It is a Beth Moore study titled "A Woman’s Heart". The title of the chapter "The Ten Commandments". These commandments were written for all- not just for women.
I thought I might write to you some of what Beth Moore had to say on this subject.
"The first thing I ever remember associating with God was the Ten Commandments. For a young child oblivious to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, who internalizes God’s law in our hearts, the Commandments provided a concrete standard. Before I came really to know a God I could see or touch,those commandments were words I could both see and touch. For a spiritual toddler unaware of impending dangers, they were the stern voice of the Parent saying, "yes, that’s it" or "No, No, No!" As an adult, I turn to Exodus 20 and find that the Commandments have the same effect. They have not changed in all of these years. Their tone has not softened. No words have been deleted. No conditions have been added. And somehow- I am comforted. Maybe it is because I live in a generation spray painted with grays, and I sometimes long for a little ‘black and white’. Like children, without boundaries, we have no security.......... their seems to be an absence of absolutes! That’s what bothers me! "
Beth Moore was talking also of attending a meeting at her child’s school where the teachers were talking about the new math. The math teacher said, "This year we will not be nearly as concerned with the answers as with the methods. In fact, sometimes your child may find that there is more than one right answer! Beth Moore- "No Absolutes?"
She goes on to say, "Aren’t you thankful for absolutes? For black and white? Some things are right, and some things are wrong. Period. We can be rightly related to other people only when we are rightly related to God! Otherwise, what do we have to motivate us? If my husband and I had not had relationships with the Lord, our marriage would have grown cold long ago. What motivation would we have to work towards a good marriage? The world is certainly not promoting it! If I did not have the Lord, I would not nurture a constant desire to be a better parent. I would have no voice whispering to me: Your time will come. For now- your personal life must be part-time, and their little lives must be full-time." I would simply hear the world’s loud roar: "Go- get’em, girl! You go around only once!" And with a husband and children to worry about, why in the world would I even care about anybody else? To be perfectly honest, If God were not caring through us, we would probably not care about others. Without being rightly related to God, we are not motivated to make right relationships with others a priority."
So, are these ancient laws worth our attention? Just picture God saying to you " It’s entirely up to you, but may I SUGGEST that you don’t murder anyone or steal or cheat on your spouse if you don’t want things getting complicated? And there’s the possibility of getting AIDS. Oh well,
think it over and do what you must.
God is not the only one who never changes. Human nature never changes. With all my heart, I believe that human nature cries out to be stopped, to be saved from itself, to be confronted by a standard, to discover pure black and white, to realize the importance of absolutes. God delivered those words to Moses without apology or hesitation."

Well, I have to say ditto to what Beth Moore said.
There is much going around on the internet these days- are we going to keep these ten commandments written in public places? Our forefathers thought they were not only thought provoking- but necessary. Our society has to be reminded of what is important to our God on High. Our children are suffering because we have not talked much with them about these commandments, and yet, even now- how often do we turn our Bibles to those pages that list them? My mother, bless her little heart, reminded us children of them. Our Sunday school teachers reminded us. Our relatives, and even our school teachers as well. Were they mean in what they were doing? I think not. I am grateful that such importance was placed on them. Even Jesus Christ answered the devil, when he was trying to tempt Christ, " It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God". Verse 10- "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’
I’m so thankful that I grew up with not just the ‘notion’ that the commandments of God were a
right thing - but, those words were commands from our creator- the Most High God.
After all, didn’t He write the commandments on tablets Moses held, with His own finger?
Looking on this from a parental view, I believe Our precious Father in Heaven was watching out for us when He wrote them. He realized our humanness - our struggles with sin. I think that if we know God’s law, then we realize when we are sinning, and then, we will have godly sorrow that leads to repentance and ultimately Christ’s forgiveness. We, as parents know the importance of saving our children, and setting down rules is of the utmost importance.
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners- Jesus Christ did not come to do away with the law, but fulfill it. We have an advocate with our Father above. Jesus showed the best way to us by His own submission to His Father- Our Father. God isn’t the author of confusion- on the contrary- He always shows us the best way. Think what a different world it might be if all obeyed the ten commandments.
So, we’ve come full swing from my youthful days. We’ve come to realize God’s grace and mercy. We’ve come to understand the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. Maybe we need to
go back and take a refresher course of sorts. I know I do.
I’m writing the ten commandments down for our benefit- yours and mine. Our reminder of our
Heavenly Parent- the Creator of the entire universe, taking out time from His lofty position to
help his children live victoriously. We have to understand these are written by the most loving Father of all- God Almighty, the One who sent His only Son to be our Savior. God is the author, so that means these are indeed "written in stone".
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the 3rd and 4th generation of those who hate me, but showing LOVE to a THOUSAND generations of those who love me, and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
4. Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.
5. Honor your father and you mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you. (By the way, in keeping this one- we are promised a good and long life.)
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. ( You shall not lie)
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. (You shall not covet anything)
These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness and he added nothing more."
Help us Lord in our need to have balance in our lives. These commandments of yours
are not archaic script to be ignored- They are written words from You, and in our keeping them,
we shall be blessed. May we not take them lightly- may we not ignore their existence.
In Jesus’s Name, Amen.