HEAR.
Listen up, you people,
you people whom God has called;
Open up your ears, you chosen Nation!
The Lord our God,
Who called you, who is Ruler over you,
Who saves you and directs you: remember him?
This unique, powerful, creating Being, called the Lord,
He is YOUR GOD.
He is ONE.
He commands you this day, commandments for your good,
commandments to obey:
You shall LOVE the Lord Your God.
You shall LOVE your Creator. Your ruler. Your Savior.
You shall adore, worship, think of, idolize, enjoy, obey, listen to, consider, wait for, submit to, long for, praise, share---You shall LOVE.
(How is it difficult to love one who has done what He has done? Like a child loves their mother? The child does not need to be commanded to love their mother-- they just do. But we, the wayward children, need to be commanded to Love.)
This love calls for complete devotion.
To love with all your HEART
To love with all your SOUL
To love with all your MIGHT.
Every ounce. Every thought.
Called, commanded, ordered to LOVE.
Because God spoke. Because He desires our hearts, souls, and might. Because our circumstances and feelings change, but this foundation does not move. This is where I am today-- paraphrasing Deuteronomy 6:4-7, which Jesus quoted in Mark 12, when asked "what is the greatest commandment?" If it is the greatest, it is important. It seems to me that everything flows from this, the greatest commandment. Every dream and desire in our lives needs to be rooted in this. Because these plans-- they will fall away. But He who holds our hearts and souls and bodies never will.
