The Most Important Passage in the Bible

As I wrapped up the book of Numbers and turned the corner into Deuteronomy, I knew I needed to park on the most powerful command in the Bible.

It’s the bold heading for the outline of life.

The umbrella over all the other requests of God.

In my opinion, it’s the most important passage in the Bible, because if we do this, everything else falls in place. It’s referred to as the Shema, because God wants us to listen carefully, and heed the following:

“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” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

God desires for us to love him above others.

To love him with everything we have.

To love him with a whole heart, not half-heartedly.

This means so much to him that he wants us to teach our children to love him like this (Deuteronomy 6:7).

He asks us to talk about our love for him everywhere we go (Deuteronomy 6:7).

He wants us to wear jewelry that tells others that we love him (Deuteronomy 6:8).

And let visitors to our homes know we take this command seriously by posting signs on our door frames (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Do people know you love God by the way you converse with them?

By what you wear?

By the way your home is decorated?

I knew a woman once who wore the same cross every day. I asked her about the cross, and she replied, “I never take this off because I never want to forget who I belong to.” That was powerful.

My “fisher of men” bracelet is a permanent fixture on my wrist for the same reason. Every time I look at this piece of jewelry, it reminds me what I’m on this earth to do, to always be on the lookout for others to tell about God, and his son Jesus. Like fishing, sometimes it takes time to snag a seeker, but once they are on the hook, you have to be ready to reel them in!

In my home, you will see crosses on our walls, and the Shema is posted on the door frame to our garage, so that when we leave, we are reminded to never walk out the door without God’s love as we walk into the world.

This morning I am also wondering how God feels when we don’t love him with all our heart. When we turn away from his commands, we don’t spend time with him, and he never enters our conversation.

I believe he feels like we do when we are rejected.

Rejection is painful.

Our hearts break, and it takes a long time to get over losing someone close to us.

We might make repeated attempts to reconcile, as God does with us, but eventually we give them the space they desire.

And if you’re like me, you beat yourself up, trying to figure out why they don’t love you like you love them.

Think about the last time you were rejected by someone. How did you feel?

I think God’s heart weeps, when we reject his love, and we don’t reciprocate.

I think he is disappointed when we don’t appreciate the gifts he’s amply supplied us with.

I believe the LORD wants us to stay connected to him 24/7, but he is sad, when we can’t even find five minutes to spend with him in a day.

The truth is we often ignore the most important commandment in the Bible.

So what can we do about it?

We can pray this prayer every day:

Lord you know I love you, but help me to love you with my whole heart.

Remind me that you are with me throughout the day.

I pray that you use me as a vessel of your love, so that your love and compassion will flow through me to others who I encounter.

Enable me to keep your commandments, and I pray I do nothing contrary to your love.

In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Psychologists agree love is one of the top needs of a human. Since God created us in his image, it’s not hard to figure out he is the one who provided us with the ability to give and receive love, because he gives love, and desires to be loved, just like us.

The Bible says God is love.

Today, place loving God at the top of your “to do” list. There’s nothing more important. (LBW)