Really Living

 
Deuteronomy 6:1-12

Father,
Help me to listen to you.
Help me to love you.
Help me to overflow with you.
Inhabit my hands and my eyes.
Inhabit my home and my speaking
May I never forget you in the blessings you provide.
Instead turn my self-love into God love.
Amen

Poverty and the Poor

Father may we be a people whose hearts value release.

May we abolish debts,

May we not

shut our hands

close our ears

blind our eyes

shut our hearts

To the cries of the poor.

Keep us from unworthy thoughts and from ignoring their cries.

May we remember that we were poor but that you have made us rich;

And may we rejoice at other’s wealth gained at our expense.

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Father,

May we consider your discipline.

May we remember your greatness, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm.

May we marvel in your deeds of salvation and your deeds of severity.

May we keep your commandments and in so doing experience your strength and your blessing.

Keep us from being deceived and turning aside to other gods.

May we lay up your words in our hearts that our days may be long.

May we be careful to do your commands, 

   Loving you,

   Walking in your ways,

   And holding fast to you;

As we experience your blessing.

Deuteronomy 10:12-11:1 and Revelation 3:14-22

The Fence Sitter's Prayer

Father it is true,

I am neither hot nor cold.

My heart is tepid;

Positively disposed to you;

Even a little in love with you;

But reticent to sacrifice;

Cautious to trust;

Slow to remember;

And unwilling to commit.

I am wretched, pitiful, poor, naked and blind.

Cover my nakedness;

Refine my heart;

Open my eyes;

Wash me clean;

Rebuke me;

Discipline me;

And rescue me.

I repent and I open the door for you to come in!

Amen

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11

Father, it is easy to forget that we are wicked, stubborn, rebellious and corrupt. 

We have provoked you, turned aside quickly and done what is evil.

We have not believed and we have not obeyed;

Instead we have constructed an idol to satisfy our hearts.

We have become proud and self-sufficient,

When we are made to be dependent, loved, righteous, upright 

and in covenant relationship with you. 

Keep us remembering who we are.

Dependent on your mediation.

Humble and close to you;

Our Saviour and our Lord.

Amen

Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Father of blessings,

Give us the blessing of memory,

And wills of obedience.

Make us humble.

May we pass the test of adversity with hope.

May we dwell in your Word and fearfully walk in your ways.

May we pass the test of blessing with gratitude, never forgetting you.

Keep us from forgetful pride.

Keep us radically obedient.

Keep us following every command,

Always seeing your hand in our blessing,

And your faithfulness to your promises.

Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Father

My heart is restless;

Quick to drift;

Slow to remember;

Radically committed to my own agenda;

Utterly self-seeking!

Keep my heart;

Change my heart;

Retrain my heart.

Give me an earnestness of commitment;

A wariness of people and things that will entice me away from you.

Burn in my soul that I am holy, chosen and treasured; loved, blessed and redeemed.

Remind me that you are a God who is faithful and steadfast;

Who keeps his promises

And destroys those that hate you.

Thank you for the promise of your presence in the midst of my fears and trials.

Be with me today and always.

Amen

Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Father,

May I love you.

May I teach of you and talk of you.

May you inhabit my hands and my eyes.

May my home be full of you.

May I never forget you in the blessings you provide.

Make me to fear you and serve you.

Take away the gods of my heart.

May I not test you but instead listen to you.

And may I remember your salvation,

Won at great cost.

Amen

Deuteronomy 5:22-33

Father, you have spoken a word of life,

   A word of light,

   A word of hope,

   In the person of your Son.

Help me to listen.

Give me a heart of flesh,

  And a will that submits.

Give me ears that heed,

  And eyes that see.

May my life hang on your very word,

  And my soul long for your voice,

As I love Jesus more.

Amen

Deuteronomy 5:6-22

Our Father you have rescued us from our slavery.

You have rescued us to be your loved people.

May our hearts be exclusively devoted to you.

May our lives be centred on loving you.

May we rest in you and remember you.

May we love others, seeking their best.

May our selfish desires be turned into sacrificial love.

As we taste the sweetness of being loved by you!

Amen

Deuteronomy 4:44-5:6

Father, thank you that you have made a promise to us.

You have spoken by your Son.

You have pledged to be our God.

Though we are a wicked and rebellious people;

So that today we can say you are our God and we are your people!

We are chosen

We belong.

We are royal.

We are included.

We are blessed.

We are heirs

We are holy.

Amen

Deuteronomy 5:6-11

Father I confess that there are many gods that compete for the love of my heart.

Forgive me

• For worshiping my comforts and possessions
• For worshiping great human beings
• For worshiping myself, my feelings and my desires
• For worshiping my loved ones and family
• For worshiping my status and approval

Father you are a God who loves even to a thousand generations;

Yet you are jealous for your honour and glory.

Forgive us for bringing you down and making you small.

Forgive us for trying to contain you in an image or an object.

Give us knowledge of your greatness, your power and your majesty.

Forgive our words which mirror our hearts. Forgive us for the times when we have dishonoured your name.

We pray 

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen

Deuteronomy 7:6-12

Father we confess that although we are a holy people we do not live holy lives.

But you have blessed us;

you have chosen us;

you have set your affection on us;

and you have loved us

Forgive us for not living worthy of your blessing.

Forgive us for asserting our independence despite your choosing.

Forgive us for spurning your affection.

And forgive us for not loving you in return.

Thank you for keeping your promises to save us and redeem us, from the slavery of our sin and from the powers of darkness that have bound us.

You are a faithful God who keeps his covenant of love and his promise of judgement.

Help us to be careful to live for you; undistracted by the siren calls of our world;

For your glory alone we pray.

In Jesus Christ name

Amen