LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 / Keywords 6:4-5

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.

 

6:1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Footnotes

a, Deuteronomy 6:4 Or The Lord our God is one Lord; or The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; or The Lord is our God, the Lord alone

1. God has proven his love so tangibly and clearly through his promises. He promised that they would increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey (3). God loves us with all his heart, even giving his only Son to save the world (Jn 3:16). How are we to love God? Twice we are commanded to “hear” (3, 4), which involves understanding and obeying God’s commands. We are also told to fear the LORD (3). This fear is not terror but flows from love. Those who love Jesus obey him (Jn 14:15); perfect love drives out fear (1Jn 4:18). The point of observing God’s commands is to live in a love relationship with God. In response to God’s love, we love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength.

2. Loving God in this way is very practical. Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920, Dutch theologian) wrote: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry; ‘Mine!’” Is this shown in what our hearts meditate on and plan? Are we impressing this on our children? Does the love of God flavor our conversations at home and abroad? Does it govern our hands, heads, and gates? Let’s love the LORD our God.

Prayer Father, thank you for loving me with all your heart. Help me hear your words, fear you, and love you practically with all my heart, soul, and strength.

One Word Love God with all your heart