“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.” -Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Our 2025 Theme at St. Luke’s is The Most Important Things. We are considering what the Bible teaches as the most significant things for our lives, that is, what should be the focus of our time and energy. The scriptures are clear that our first priority is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
This commandment first appears in the book of Deuteronomy. It is part of a prayer known as the Shema. This is a prayer that is intended to be recited daily, morning and evening. The Shema is a long, liturgical prayer, but it opens with two distinct parts. First is the declaration that God is one. There is no other God to be worshiped by God’s people. God alone is creator, sustainer, and redeemer. This is reflected in the opening of the 10 Commandments. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2-3)
The second part in the opening of the Shema is the commandment to love God. God knows that there are so many things in this world that compete for our attention. Work, family, friends, hobbies, current events, and many other aspects of life that demand our energy and focus. It seems like we are preoccupied from the moment we wake in the morning until we sleep later that night. Taking time out of our day to connect with God and grow in our faith is not always our first priority. Yet, if we wish to deepen our love for our God, we need to spend time with God.
The word Shema comes from the first word of Deuteronomy 6:4. Shema means “Listen” or “Hear.” It is a plea to stop what you are doing and remember God. This ancient prayer is a collection of scripture that helps us to remember who God is and what God has done for us. It is a reminder of the redeeming love of the One who brought the Hebrew people out of slavery into a promised land. The Shema is a gift in the midst of demanding times. It is a Biblical reminder to stop, listen, and remember that God is love, God is with us, and God is intended to be the focus of our love and attention.
Today is filled with many important things. The most important? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” This is who we were created to be. Take some time this morning and this evening and remember the One who first loved us. Read the story of our faith. Remember and give thanks. Let our love grow strong for our God who loves us so fully.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
