Friday, April 21, 2006

God's Call to Grateful Obedience


Hear, O people of God, the law which the Lord speaks in
your hearing this day, that you may know his statutes
and walk according to his ordinances.
Teach us, O Lord, the grace of your law,
and give us life by your Word.
The God who saved us in Jesus Christ gave this law, saying:
I am the Lord your God! You shall have no other gods before me.
We will worship the Lord our God and serve only him.
You shall not make yourself an image of anything to worship it.
Living no more in bondage to earthly gods,
we will worship the Lord our God in spirit and in truth.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
We will use the holy name of God with reverence,
praising him in everything we do and say.
You shall observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy,
for in six days you shall labor and do all your work.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be
glad in it.
The first part of the law is this great commandment:
That we love the Lord our God with all our heart,
with all our mind, and with all our strength.
The second part of the law is similar to the first: you shall
honor your father and mother, that you may live long
in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
As children we will be obedient to our parents in the Lord;
as parents we will correct our children and guide them
in the training and instruction of the Lord;
we will respect the lawful authorities appointed by God.
You shall not murder.
We will be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us.
You shall not commit adultery.
We will use our bodies in ways that are holy and honorable,
and abstain from immorality and impurity.
You shall not steal.
We will do what we can for our neighbor's good,
and work faithfully so that we may share with the poor.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
We will speak the truth with our neighbor in love,
render judgments that are true and make for peace,
and not devise in our hearts any evil against anyone.
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
We will be content whatever the circumstances
through the strength of Christ within us.
Thus we must love our neighbor as ourselves.
For the Lord requires of us to do justice, to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with our God. Amen!


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