10-Day Devotional: Living the Ten Commandments

 Day 1: No Other Gods

📖 Exodus 20:3 NIV – “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Devotional Thought:
God’s first commandment sets the foundation for all the rest: He alone deserves our worship, loyalty, and devotion. In the ancient world, nations were filled with idols and false gods, but God called His people to be set apart. Today, idols may not always be statues of stone, but anything we place above God — career, money, relationships, even ourselves — can take His rightful place.

This commandment isn’t just about removing false gods, but about loving the true God above all. Jesus reaffirmed this when He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37). Our lives should reflect that nothing else comes before Him.

Reflection Questions:

1. What competes for God’s place in your life?
    
2. How can you show that God is your highest priority this week?
    
3. What practical step can you take to remove an “idol” from your heart?
    

Prayer:
Lord, help me to love You above all else. Reveal to me anything in my life that I have put before You, and give me the courage to surrender it. Teach me to worship You alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:4 NIV – “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”

Devotional Thought:
God is invisible, eternal, and beyond our imagination. When we try to reduce Him to an image or an object, we dishonor His greatness. The second commandment warns against turning even good things into ultimate things. We may not carve wooden idols today, but we often worship images of success, beauty, or power in ways that distract us from God’s glory.

God wants our worship to be rooted in spirit and truth (John 4:24). This means we honor Him as He truly is — not by reshaping Him into our preferences. A life of worship isn’t confined to church services; it’s lived daily through obedience, love, and reverence for the One true God.

Reflection Questions:

1. What “images” or symbols of success do you find yourself chasing?
    
2. How can you practice worshiping God in spirit and truth today?
    
3. Do you ever try to fit God into your expectations rather than surrendering to who He is?
    

Prayer:
Father, forgive me for the times I have let images, desires, or created things take Your place in my heart. Teach me to worship You in spirit and truth, and to see You as greater than anything I could imagine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:7 NIV – “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

Devotional Thought:
God’s name represents His character, authority, and presence. To misuse His name isn’t just about profanity — it’s about treating His holiness lightly. When we say His name carelessly, make false promises “in God’s name,” or claim His authority while living in sin, we dishonor Him.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matthew 6:9). To hallow His name is to treat it as sacred, revering it in our words, prayers, and lives. Every time we call on His name, we should do so with honor, remembering He is holy.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do your words reflect honor for God’s name?
    
2. Are you living in a way that glorifies the name of Jesus?
    
3. How can you speak about God more reverently this week?
    

Prayer:
Lord, I honor Your holy name. Forgive me for the times I have spoken carelessly or failed to reflect Your character. Help me live in such a way that Your name is glorified through my words and actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:8 NIV – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

Devotional Thought:
God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest, worship, and renewal. He Himself rested on the seventh day after creation, not because He was tired, but to model a rhythm of life for us. In our busy culture, this commandment reminds us to slow down, worship God, and trust Him with our time.

Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath by becoming our ultimate rest (Matthew 11:28). But we still need intentional times to step away from work and distractions, to refresh our souls in His presence. The Sabbath isn’t a burden — it’s a gift of grace, reminding us that we are dependent on God, not our effort.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you regularly set aside time for rest and worship?
    
2. What keeps you from honoring the rhythm of Sabbath?
    
3. How can you make space this week to draw near to God in rest?
    

Prayer:
Father, thank You for the gift of Sabbath rest. Teach me to slow down, to trust You with my time, and to honor You in both work and rest. May my heart find its true rest in Jesus. In His name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:12 NIV – “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Devotional Thought:
God designed the family to be the foundation of society, and respect for parents is at its core. Honoring parents means valuing, respecting, and caring for them. Even when parents are imperfect, God calls us to show them dignity. This commandment carries a promise — that honoring parents brings blessing and stability to our lives and communities.

Jesus also upheld this command (Matthew 15:4), and Paul repeated it as the first command with a promise (Ephesians 6:1–3). Honoring parents points us to the greater reality of honoring God, our heavenly Father.

Reflection Questions:

1. How can you show honor to your parents today (living or deceased)?
    
2. What impact do you think honoring parents has on society?
    
3. How does honoring your earthly parents connect to honoring God?
    

Prayer:
Father, thank You for the gift of family. Teach me to honor my parents with love, patience, and respect. Even when it is hard, help me reflect Your grace in how I treat them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:13 NIV – “You shall not murder.”

Devotional Thought:
This commandment protects the sanctity of life. God created every human being in His image (Genesis 1:27), and therefore life is sacred. Murder is not just physical killing — Jesus expanded this command to include anger and hatred (Matthew 5:21–22). When we harbor bitterness, we commit violence in our hearts.

God calls us to be people of life, love, and peace. Instead of taking life, we are to protect it. Instead of hating, we are to forgive. In Christ, we are given the power to overcome anger and live as peacemakers.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are you harboring anger or resentment toward someone?
    
2. How can you practice forgiveness today?
    
3. How do you see the image of God in others, even those who are difficult to love?
    

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I have harbored anger or hatred in my heart. Help me to see others as made in Your image and to be a peacemaker who values life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:14 NIV – “You shall not commit adultery.”

Devotional Thought:
Marriage is a covenant designed by God to reflect His faithfulness to His people. Adultery destroys trust, family, and the sacred bond God established. But Jesus taught that even lustful thoughts break this command (Matthew 5:27–28). God calls us not only to physical purity, but also purity of heart and mind.

Faithfulness matters because it mirrors God’s own faithfulness to us. When we choose purity, we honor Him, strengthen relationships, and live in freedom rather than bondage to sin. Through Christ, we can find forgiveness and restoration if we’ve failed.

Reflection Questions:

1. How do you pursue purity in thought, word, and action?
    
2. Why does God place such value on faithfulness in relationships?
    
3. What steps can you take to guard your heart against temptation?
    

Prayer:
God, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Strengthen me to walk in purity and guard my heart against temptation. Help me honor You in my relationships. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:15 NIV – “You shall not steal.”

Devotional Thought:
Stealing shows a lack of trust in God’s provision. It is taking what is not ours, whether material things, time, credit, or opportunities. Instead of coveting what others have, God calls us to live content and generous lives.

Paul said, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4:28). The solution to stealing is not just stopping — it is replacing it with honest work and generosity.

Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways might you be tempted to take what isn’t yours?
    
2. Do you truly trust God to provide for your needs?
    
3. How can you live with greater contentment and generosity?
    

Prayer:
Father, forgive me for any ways I’ve taken what was not mine. Teach me to trust in Your provision and to live generously, blessing others as You have blessed me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:16 NIV – “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

Devotional Thought:
God is truth, and He calls His people to live truthfully. This commandment originally referred to lying in court, but it extends to all dishonesty — gossip, slander, exaggeration, and deceit. Lies destroy trust and relationships, but truth builds up and reflects God’s character.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6). To follow Him is to live in truth. Speaking truth in love brings healing, freedom, and unity. Lies may feel convenient, but only truth honors God.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are your words consistently truthful and loving?
    
2. How do lies (big or small) harm relationships?
    
3. How can you reflect God’s truth in your conversations this week?
    

Prayer:
Lord, You are truth, and I want to walk in Your ways. Forgive me for the times I have been dishonest. Help me speak truth with love and live with integrity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

📖 Exodus 20:17 NIV – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Devotional Thought:
Coveting is not just wanting something — it’s desiring what belongs to someone else. It breeds discontentment and envy, pulling our hearts away from God. Instead of gratitude, coveting focuses on what we lack.

Paul reminds us, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6). Contentment comes when we trust God’s provision and rejoice in what He has given us. Gratitude is the antidote to coveting. When we choose thankfulness, envy loses its grip and peace takes root.

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you often find yourself coveting?
    
2. How can gratitude shift your perspective this week?
    
3. Do you trust God’s timing and provision for your needs?
    

Prayer:
Father, free me from the trap of envy and discontent. Teach me to trust You fully and to live with gratitude for every blessing You’ve given. May my heart be content in You alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Over the last ten days, you’ve walked through God’s Ten Commandments — not as a list of cold rules, but as a reflection of His heart and His will for His people. Each command shows us what it means to live in right relationship with God and with others. They reveal His holiness, His love for justice, and His desire that we live set apart for Him.

Jesus summarized the entire law with two commands: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37–40 NIV). The Ten Commandments are fulfilled in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit we are empowered to live them out in love.

1. Review these commandments regularly – Let them shape your heart, words, and actions.
    
2. Pray for strength – Ask the Holy Spirit to help you obey from love, not obligation.
    
3. Practice gratitude – Remember that God gave these commands not to restrict you, but to free you to live fully in Him.
    
4. Look to Jesus – He is the fulfillment of the law and your example of perfect obedience.
    
5. Share what you’ve learned – Teach others how the Ten Commandments point us to Christ and guide us in godly living.
    

“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15 NIV)

The Ten Commandments are not a burden — they are a gift. Through them, God reveals His character and calls us to reflect Him as His image bearers. Now, walk in obedience, love, and truth, empowered by His Spirit to live as a light in this world.