Hear and Love
““Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
HEAR FIRST
Before any command to love comes the order to hear — faith begins by paying attention to who God is before deciding what to do.
ONE LORD, NOT MANY
Among nations worshiping many gods, Israel declared one LORD — this truth gathers all devotion into a single center.
WITH ALL YOUR HEART
The love required here is not partial — God asks for the whole heart, with no corner reserved for competing affections.
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND MIGHT
Love for God extends to soul and might — it involves emotion, will, and physical energy, every part of who you are.
JESUS CALLED THIS THE GREATEST
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus quoted this very passage — the Shema remains the gravitational center of the whole law.
DECLARE IT WHEN YOU WAKE
Act: When you wake tomorrow, before reaching for your phone, say aloud "the LORD is one" and offer him your heart, soul, and strength for the day.