Day Eight: The Shema
Deuteronomy 6:4-5,
Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
The “Shema,” is derived from the Hebrew word for hear, the first word in Deuteronomy 6:4. Such an important ritual for the Jewish people who recited this verse day and night. In one of many attempts by the religious elite to trip Jesus up, they ask him which is the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus refers back to this very scripture in Deuteronomy 6:4.
Why, and what is its significance to worship?
Fascinating really, we are one person but we are made up of these three characteristics; heart, soul and strength. To only involve one or two of these characteristics would be incomplete. Again, Romans 12:1 says, “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” which consists of these three parts: heart, soul and strength.
When God talks about our hearts, he means our emotions and desires. When He talks about the soul, He is talking about our being, mind and conscience. Last, our strength, which is our works, actions and deeds—the things that our physical body carries out. Here’s the caveat, and the point I believe Jesus was trying to make to the religious elite. Without Christ… it’s not possible. The heart is wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), the soul/mind does not understand or seek God (Romans 3:10-11) and our deeds are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
Bottom line is that it’s not until God comes in and cleans house and does a work of redemption in our lives that we can properly love him. This is complete worship, that I love God with my emotions, thoughts and actions by the renewing of my heart, mind and purpose.
Reading: Romans 3:9-31, Deuteronomy 6:1-9