Praying the 10 Commandments

Lenten Midweek Vespers

March 8, 2017

Zion Lutheran Church + Nampa, ID

In 1535, Martin Luther wrote a little book on prayer for his barber, Peter. In it, he lays out his simple method of praying texts. I call it “I.T.C.P”: Instruction Thanksgiving Confession Prayer. The method anchors prayer in the texts of Scripture or the catechism but allows the Holy Spirit to prompt thoughts by means of the Word. Luther explains his method first using the Ten Commandments:

I think of each commandment as, first, instruction, which is really what it is intended to be, and consider what the Lord God demands of me so earnestly…

Second, I give thanks for his infinite compassion by which he has come to me in such a fatherly way and, unasked, unbidden, and unmerited, has offered to be my God, to care for me, and to be my comfort, guardian, help, and strength in every time of need. We poor mortals have sought so many gods and would have to seek them still if he did not enable us to hear him openly tell us in our own language that he intends to be our God. How could we ever—in all eternity—thank him enough!

Third, I confess and acknowledge my great sin and ingratitude for having so shamefully despised such sublime teachings and such a precious gift throughout my whole life, and for having fearfully provoked his wrath by countless acts of idolatry. I repent of these and ask for his grace.

Fourth, I pray and say: “O my God and Lord, help me by thy grace to learn and understand thy commandments more fully every day and to live by them in sincere confidence. Preserve my heart so that I shall never again become forgetful and ungrateful, that I may never seek after other gods or other consolation on earth or in any creature, but cling truly and solely to thee, my only God. Amen, dear Lord God and Father. Amen” (LW 43:200).

Luther placed the 10 Commandments at the beginning of the catechism as the Law precedes the Gospel. Luther sees the 10 Commandments forming the prayer list much in the same way as the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. These 10 things are those for which we pray for ourselves and for others.  Two tables of the Law, the first three commandments deal with our relationship with God and the last seven deal with our relationship to other people.

Praying in regards to the first table is focused then on who we pray to, in whom is our faith placed. This is a starting point that cannot be overemphasized. Prayer is not a uniquely Christian activity.  People cannot escape the pressure to pray just like they cannot be without a god. The question becomes, according to the first table of the Law, to which god do you call upon to pray?  To whom do you call in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks?

Starting with the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods.” Our prayers are focused particularly toward God the Father through God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit. God threatens punishment to those who will not fear, love, or trust in Him above all things, but He promises grace and every blessing to those who cling to Him by faith in His Son. It is only through faith that the Commandments are fulfilled and believers enabled to call upon the name of the Lord in prayer. Where God is feared, loved, and trusted above all things, lips are opened to declare His praise and prayer, which God loves to hear and answer.

Praying the second table of the Law focuses our prayers on our own lives and the lives of others.  Starting with the Fourth Commandment, we pray for our parents and authorities in life, that they would fulfill their God given duties and roles, their vocations, in life. The rest of the commandments then flow from this. Preservation of life, sexual morality, protection of property and reputation.

Instructed in such a way, we give thanks to God for these people and things to pray for.  It is our pleasure and honor to approach our heavenly Father in such a way.  Looking at each of these commandments, we are prompted both in what to pray for, both in terms of where we have fallen short in these regards, and that God would lead us to uphold the positive attributes of each commandment, that He would guard us against the falling into the temptation to sin. We confess our shortcomings, our struggles, our sin, for the Law of God always accuses us, always shows us our sinfulness and our need for a Savior.  And so we pray for just that, that God would forgive our sins for the sake of Jesus.  That God would strengthen us according to His Word and promise to do His will.  These things can be applied to ourselves, to our family and friends, to society in general.

This, then, it what it means to pray the 10 Commandments.  As the Psalmist writes in the very first Psalm, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” This blessed man has his love, the Law of God, always in his mouth, always in his heart, and, if possible, always in his ear. (LW 14:298).  This Law includes God’s commandments as well as His proclamation of the love and mercy in the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. This is vital for the Christian life, for our sanctification, for we are tempted to replace God’s Law with whatever suits our own whims, our feelings, our sense of justice and peace and prosperity. And so God anchors us by His Commandments, which are simply His will for us His creation, so that we might live a holy life into which He has called us, a life of prayer and praise and thanksgiving and service to God.