February 25, 2024 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

By: Pastor String La Guardia

A Modern Shema

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NASB)

4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is 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.

1 6:4–9 Known as the Shema, Hebrew for “Hear.” It has become the Jewish confession of faith, recited daily by the pious (pp., Matt 22:37–38; Mark 12:29–30; Luke 10:27). (NASB Study Bible Notes)

Rereading the text that Jesus considered the very essence of God’s Word, we can capture it in this modern way:

“Listen up, Israel—The LORD is your God, he, and he alone!!

You should love him with every thought that you think, live every hour of every day for him, be willing to sacrifice your life for him. Love him with every penny in your wallet and everything that you’ve got!”          

                Tverberg, Lois. Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus (p. 53). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

As we conclude our sermon series on “Love Like Jesus,”  we are to be reminded that we cannot love others like Him until we understand what it means to Love Him first and foremost, over and above “anyone” and “anything.” Out of this overflows how we can extend our love for others. We must love God first before we can even begin to love others. This is our highest & solemn posture of worship to Him as His children, that we are forever grateful for His great love and faithfulness to us by loving him with all that we are, with all the we have and with all that we will be.

Out of His love for you, enabling you to love Him and also others, may you reflect through this question; how can I show and extend His love in my marriage, in my family, in my friendships,  in my workplace and at my church?