18th.: Reporting In to the Lord
There are other times, when God suggests a prayer.
Deuteronomy chapter 26, verses 13-14 gives a two-part prayer.
The first part of this will be discussed today and tomorrow.
The second part shall be discussed the day after.
Verse 13 starts out with, Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God,
The prayer part then says.
“I have brought the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite,
and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments,
which thou has commanded me. I have not transgressed thy commandments; neither have I forgotten them.
I have not eaten thereof in my mourning. Neither have I taken away ought, thereof for any unclean use.
Nor given ought thereof for the dead. But I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God,
and have done according to all that thou has commanded me.” (Deut. 26:13-14).
This is a prayer for reporting back to the Lord.
The person praying is telling God how well they think they have done with regards to:
A. Tithing
B. Giving to the poor
C. Worshipping God in a clean manner
D. Obeying God’s commands.
It is analogous to an employee giving a performance evaluation to his employer.
It was meant for us to examine ourselves, as we shall soon see.
“For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1st Cor. 11:30-31)