1. Deuteronomy 10:12‐22
Within God’s covenant with his people, is his agenda for the vulnerable.
Fear the LORD
12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God,
to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you
today for your own good?
14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and
everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he
chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. 16 Circumcise your
hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff‐necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of
gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and
accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the
foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those
who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God
and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is the one you praise;
he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with
your own eyes. 22 Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now
the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
There are 11 references to protection for orphans and widows in the next few chapters,
the next passage has 4 of them.
Deuteronomy 24:17‐22
God’s provision, His people’s prosperity and the protection of the vulnerable are
interwined.
Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a
pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you
18
from there. That is why I command you to do this.
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it.
19
Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may
bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not
20
go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless
and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines
21
again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember
22
that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

2. Anxiety is natural. The prospect of job loss is awful and God understands those concerns.
He encourages us to approach him a particular way.
Phillippians 4:6‐7
6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
In his book on the Christian life at the workplace, Ken Costa talks about the morning that
he learned that a major client had asked he be removed from their account where he
worked. On that morning, he had read Psalm 112 and was drawn to the phrase “They will
have no fear of bad news”. It prepared him so that he was not devastated by it, which
could so easily have happened.
Psalm 112
1
Praise the LORD.[b]
Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honour.
10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.