Deuteronomy 6:4-5 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
In Hebrew, these verses are called the Shema, which translates to hear. It is a confession of faith about who God is and our calling in following him. It is as true now as was when it was written 700 hundred(ish) years before the birth of Christ. The first phrase, “the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” Contains the essential truth that God is a singular entity and not some vague force like “will” or “the universe” or “the force.” This establishes the truth of the trinity, we have one God that exists in three persons of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
From this understanding of God we receive our call. You are called to love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your might. On first reading, this call can feel daunting or overwhelming. There are so many things in our modern world that try to call your attention away. It is so easy to get distracted, and that is why the Shema became a daily prayer. Short, and to the point, the Shema is a reminder of where our hope comes from and where our focus should be.
My hope, as a minister, is that you spend regular time studying the scriptures, praying to God, and growing in your faith. My hope, as a person also facing all the distractions the world can offer, is that I do, too. God loves us very much, and loves hearing our hopes and struggles. Even on your busiest days I hope you can all find time to remind yourself of the words of the Shema,
“The Lord my God, the Lord is one. I willl love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my might.”