December 9,2020 (Wednesday) –
The Israelites were given some vital instructions, known as the Shema, that became a permanent part of their faith and was impressed upon their hearts. It came to them with instructions on how to display the Shema. The devout Jewish people followed these instructions to the letter. They spoke of the Shema at every opportunity. They wrote it on their doorframes. They taught it to their children. They wore phylacteries as necklaces and armbands, pouches containing copies of the “Shema,” a very important word in Judaism, meaning, “Listen!”
Here is the Shema:
“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 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.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NIV).
Jesus did not hesitate to quote these verses when asked which is the greatest commandment:
“One of the teachers of the law .. asked him, ’Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘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 mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’” (Mark 12:28-31 NIV)
There we have it: the Old Testament and the New Testament both tell us what should be important to us.
Shema!
Listen!
Love God! Love people!
Nothing is more important!
(Reprinted from Dec 12, 2007)