Deuteronomy 5-6, Luke 7:11-35, Psalms 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV
For devout Jews, the first few verses of Deuteronomy 6 are some of the holiest and most important. Verses 4-9 are known as the Shema and are prayed every morning and every night.
These verses are located at the entrance of Jewish homes in a Mezuzah- a literal place, written on "the door frames of your houses and gates". At the beginning of the Hebrew nation, God was establishing His power and glory to the people, knowing they would be entering lands of idols and distractions. He commanded that we LOVE God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. With our emotions, intellect, being, and physically...everything that makes us into who we are. It is a constant way of living, which is why it was prayed morning and night. Dwelling on the essence of who God is.
As I'm sitting here waiting for this second child to pop out I've been so convicted and challenged to take these verses up daily. To take on these Jewish traditions of daily teaching and remembering these verses. We teach our children, but I reflect on how I lack as a parent. My prayer is to keep these words, meditate, and act on them daily. To really know and love God with all, not just parts....keep this Shema in my heart too.
No comments:
Post a Comment