Taught to Love

A Living Faith
What is Faith?
Faith Requires Mutual Love

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

The Message

6 ^1-2 This is the commandment, the rules and regulations, that God, your God, commanded me to teach you to live out in the land you’re about to cross into to possess. This is so that you’ll live in deep reverence before God lifelong, observing all his rules and regulations that I’m commanding you, you and your children and your grandchildren, living good long lives.

³ Listen obediently, Israel. Do what you’re told so that you’ll have a good life, a life of abundance and bounty, just as God promised, in a land abounding in milk and honey.
⁴ Attention, Israel!
God, our God! God the one and only!
⁵ Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!

^6-9 Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

For Reflection

Armed with the commandment written inside you, they become so much a part of you that you don't even have to think about them.  They automatically guide you to a righteous decision. How do I make them and integral part of my being?  Study them. Talk with others about them.  Carry a reminder of them everywhere you go.  Teach them.

Are they simple? Yes.   Are they easy to follow? Not always. Is their an overriding rule?  Yes, love is a moderator.  Do following the commandments create dilemmas in your life?  Yes.  What if I err?  God's grace will return you to the fold. That which you do out of love for your God and mankind and which demonstrates that love is a righteous choice.

Pray

that you will be guided by God's love.  Pray that you will be a righteous example of God's way.  Pray for the wisdom to be obedient to God's law and consistent with His love.