August 5 - Love the Lord Your God

August 5 - Deuteronomy 6:1-25 - Love the Lord Your God

By the time we get to the New Testament, the Jews have fully lost the intention of the Law that God gave to them through Moses. The wandering Jews of the Old Testament were a band of nomads that desperately needed to band together in unity under one God. Through the Law that Moses related to them, they received guidelines and instructions for every facet of their lives.

While Paul shows us that it had become restrictive in his time, when it was initially set into place, it was done so with incredible care by God. Maybe it's like the things that my father set into place as a child for me. There were a lot of restrictions around my activities, but as I look back, I realize that they were there to keep me safe and protected.

As Moses was leading the children of Israel through to the Promised Land, they acted as very young children. They had been living among the Egyptians for so long that they didn't understand self-rule, or even many of the basics of cleanliness and food preparation.

This passage introduces "The Shema," an integral part of the Jewish Prayer Life. 'Shema' means 'Hear,' the first word: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4) These words are their central faith statement. As they traveled throughout the mideast, they would continually come into contact with polytheistic societies.

The Lord is One is a statement that separated them from everyone else. It was immediately followed by "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut. 6:5).

The next portion of this (Deut. 6:6-9) is a command that we seem to take very lightly. "These commandments are to be upon 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."

In other words, not only were they to constantly ensure that they would remember these commandments, but to do that, they should constantly talk about them ... always have the Word of the Lord on their lips.

In Deuteronomy 6:20, Moses tells the people that their children will ask the meaning of these Laws. They will know them so well because of the constant retelling, but when it comes time to explain the meaning behind them, it is important to have a response.

"We were slaves of Pharoah in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes, the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders ... But he brought us out from there to bring us in ... The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear Him so that we might prosper and be kept alive. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness." (Deuteronomy 6:21-25)

The Lord gave them life. He brought them out of Egypt. He performed miracles. He brought them to the Promised Land. When they asked why they needed to follow His decrees, they needed to be constantly reminded of this incredible gift.

We have been given a gift that is even more astounding. It is a free gift. We can't earn it, we don't deserve it. Jesus Christ made the final sacrifice to ensure our freedom. Why do we follow Jesus? The gift of His life ... even more profound than the gift of our lives.