SHEMA

TODAY'S READING: Deut. 5,6; Ps. 43; Mark 14

SCRIPTURE

Deut. 6: 4-6 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.* [5] And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. [6] And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today.

OBSERVATION

Known as the Shema, Hebrew for “Hear” this has become the Jewish confession of faith, still recited daily by pious Jews. If we were to observe a daily confession of faith, it should be the Jesus Creed, taken from this passage is Deuteronomy and added to by Jesus.
Mark 12:29-31 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. [30] And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’* [31] The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’* No other commandment is greater than these.”

APPLICATION

Between now and Easter, I’m going to pray the Jesus Creed, when I step out of bed in the morning and when I lay down at night. As I reflect on Jesus dying and rising - I want to reflect on the most important commandment that He left us.

PRAYER

Father,
Let me “Shema” [Hear] you, as I read your Word and as I pray your Word back to you.
Holy Spirit,
Enable me to live out the prayer, loving God w/ all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and others as myself.
Jesus,
Thank you for loving me.