The history of the descendants of Abraham and Sarah is one that is marked by many highs and lows, but especially lows. Today’s rendition of the story of the giving of the ten commandments is set with one occupying empire gradually loosening its grip on the Israelites with another poised to take its turn. The people turn their imaginations back to the crucial liberating figure of Moses and how, in the wilderness, God spoke directly to Moses and the people to assure them of the divine presence. They reconstruct in their minds eye God’s steadfast words that remind them that they are God’s and God is theirs. They also remember that God does care about how they live together, how they order their community life. Surely these timeless principles are ones to continue to follow regardless of whatever else is going on around them. What basic principles do you perhaps overlook when things are going well and return to in difficult times?