Episode 126: Deuteronomy 29:29

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Dear friends, welcome to Peace Prayers. My name is Juli, the creator and host of the podcast, and I would love to be able to spend some time with you today. Our goal is to take a few moments and dive deep into God’s word before meditating on it ourselves. I’ll read a scripture from the Bible, and then pray it over our lives. Please join me in the prayer. Invite a friend to listen in and let’s begin our day with God’s peace. I am so excited to get started; thank you for joining me today.

You’re listening to episode 126 and today’s verse is Deuteronomy 29:29.

“Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.”

Let’s pray together.

LORD, when I think about the terms of the covenant, it’s a lot different for me than for Moses and the Israelites. I try to imagine what it must have been like to have these laws and these rituals and this way of life and to know that if I strayed from it even the slightest bit, I was guilty of sin, separate from You and the rest of my people, and that there was something complicated and costly I’d have to do to reset. And start the process all over again. That sounds exhausting, like the pressure would be too great to bear; like I’d be Atlas, holding up the world, groaning and straining underneath the weight.

And it would all be for nothing because it was all temporary. It could never fully do what I’d so desperately want it to do, wipe away my sin and bring me into union with a holy God. I’d risk being ostracized and my place and my family and the whole meaning of my life every second of every day and I’d fail over and over and over again.

Yet they were told to carefully follow it to prosper. It was still the only way to live, to have any hope of happiness, any hope of being in good standing with God, any ability to keep themselves from the sins of all the other nations. A heavy burden to be chosen, but they were chosen nonetheless. It means something still today and I pray we will honor that more than we appear to do.

They had the hope of a Messiah given to them and I know that probably meant different things at different time periods. The hope of someone to save us is a powerful hope. Whether it’s from captivity in Babylon, a Roman occupation, or the inherent sin nature within us all. I thank You, God, that You saved us from the latter instead of them from the former. I state here, Father God, I’m so thankful for a Messiah who saved me from my sins. Once and for all, paying the highest price anyone can pay; Jesus saved me and everyone who accepts that gift.

Now the covenant means something different. Because it still helps me to prosper in all I do, but not because I need to in order to save myself. It’s a response to a gift, it’s in gratitude and love, and a desire for closeness and union with my Savior. If I follow the covenant of grace, the moral code laid down by the only One in the universe who has a right to decide such things, it’s because I can’t bear to be parted from Him for a single second and I understand that not following it, keeps me from being as close to Him as I can be.

Oh, Holy Spirit, draw me near. Keep me close to my God, my Jesus. Restore our union every day, every hour, every minute. Show me the way forward into the covenant. What is it You would have me do? How am I transgressing? How can I be closer, more obedient, more in love with You?

I pray You would show me this day and all who hear the sound of my voice. Lift us up into the glory of a covenant fulfilled. Thank You, Jesus.

I pray this in the redeeming and sanctifying name of Jesus. Amen.

That is the end of our collective prayer, but don’t forget that you can keep praying and meditating on this on your own. Thank you so much for joining me and I hope you have a peaceful rest of your day. I’d love to ask you a favor before we go and that is to please subscribe and leave a review for the podcast if you haven’t already. That is the best way to invite other people to join us in our prayers and it helps me more than you can know.

I also want to get to know each other better. Follow me over on Instagram where I’ve recently updated my handle to reflect my married name. It’s now thejulihernandez where you can DM me prayer requests or suggestions on verses you’d like me to pray on the podcast or just let me know what’s going on in your life. Another way to get in touch with what I’m up to is on my website at www.thejulihernandez.com. My website hosts a transcription of each prayer so that you can pray them whenever you like. You’ll also see monthly blog posts that detail my current writing projects and I can’t wait to engage with you on that. Let’s connect, but for now, Shalom.