Walking the Ten Words

In the quiet moments of dawn, he lays the Ten Words on his heart—faithfully, daily, without fanfare.

Deuteronomy 11:18 – “You shall therefore lay up these words of Mine in your heart and in your soul… and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

I continue to walk the Ten Words into my life—usually in the morning when I rise, and at night before I sleep, but also at various moments throughout the day. Sometimes it happens in the stillness of a traffic light. Each time, I internalize the words and their meanings, letting each one flow over me and into my heart—making them mine. I'm sure I don’t always recite them in the right order, and I may forget one now and then, but they all flow together. Their meaning becomes part of who I am.

First and always:

He is One.Shema Yisrael, YHWH Eloheinu, YHWH Echad.One on a list of One—the King to whom I owe total allegiance. An unknowable, indescribable, invisible God who makes Himself known through His Spirit, who desires to be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth.

I carry His Name with honor. And as I become transformed by His words, I am more closely aligned with His nature and become a better ambassador.

I observe and remember all His Feasts and Appointed Days—especially the Seventh Day Sabbath, because that’s the day He rested, set apart, and sanctified as a sign of Covenant-keeping.

I honor Him as my Father in Heaven, keeping all of the first four Words. Then I turn that honor toward my earthly father and mother—extending it to my siblings, my children, my grandchildren, and all of my generations.

I reject anger and bitterness as the seeds of murder, and I respect the sanctity of life.

I am committed to covenant loyalty and faithfulness in marriage as a mirror of my relationship with Him—guarding my heart against lust and fleshly desire, maintaining purity and love.

I honor righteous stewardship of possessions. I do not take what is not mine.

I value honesty and refuse to speak evil of another falsely. I let my “yes” be yes, and my “no” be no.

And finally—I find contentment in covenant, for His grace is sufficient.

I will lay up treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves do not break in and steal.

Let my words be silver and gold and precious stones—not wood, hay, and stubble.

Father YHWH, Sovereign King and Covenant-Keeper, I come before You with gratitude that You have written Your Ten Words upon the tablets of my heart. I bless Your Name, the Name I carry with reverence as I seek to walk in the truth of Your covenant every day You grant me breath. Let my rising and lying down be framed by these Words of life. Let them not just instruct my mind, but transform my being. I know I don't always recite them perfectly or recall them in perfect order, but I long for their meaning to be perfected in me.

You alone are One. You alone are worthy. May I never place anything before You. Let my allegiance to You never be divided or diluted. May the Shema be my foundation, and the echo of my life. Cause me to honor Your Name not only with my lips but with the weight of my life. May Your Name never be lifted in vain by my conduct, my speech, or my witness. Let me be a true ambassador, one who reflects Your nature with integrity and joy.

I thank You for the rhythm of Your Appointed Times. I delight in Your Sabbaths. You rested, You sanctified, and You invited me to remember. Let me guard these days as a sign that I belong to You, that I am in covenant with the Elohim of Israel, not by flesh but by faith. Let every feast, every Sabbath, every moedim root me deeper in Your promises and prepare me for the fullness of Your Kingdom.

Teach me to honor authority rightly. First Yours, then that of my earthly parents and generations. Heal any broken places in my family line through the faithfulness of my obedience. Let my life testify that Your order brings restoration. Remove bitterness and rage from my spirit, and let the sanctity of life be evident in how I speak, how I respond, and how I love.

Guard my covenant with my wife as I guard my covenant with You. Let my heart not be stirred by fleeting desire, but grounded in everlasting loyalty. Let purity be my strength, and faithfulness be my testimony. Give me wisdom in stewardship, that I may handle resources without greed, and treat what belongs to others with honor. Let me never be a thief of time, truth, or trust.

Set a watch over my tongue, that I may not bear false witness. Let my words build, not break. Let them bless, not burden. Let them carry truth, not accusation. And may my contentment rest not in this world, but in the eternal treasure You have promised. Let my life be built with silver, gold, and precious stones—not with what burns away, but with what endures into Your Kingdom.

These Ten Words are not just instructions. They are the vows of the covenant. And I long to walk them—not out of duty, but because they are written on my heart. Shape me into one who remembers. One who walks. One who reflects You. May my life be living proof that Your Word is alive. I ask this in loyalty to Your covenant, and in the authority of Your Name, YHWH.

Amen.