July 8 -- "The LORD is One"

 Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 6

"The LORD is One"

Today’s verse is one of the most important verses in the Bible. It is known as the “Shema Yisrael” or simply as “Shema” (pronounced as "shuh-MAH"). It is one of the most astounding verses in the entire Bible because it declares the one-ness and exclusiveness of God.  There is only one God and His name is “Yahweh.”  And because He is the only one – we must love Him with all our heart, soul, and might.

“Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one.” This verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism and Christianity.  The belief in one (and only one) God was a stark contrast to the religions of the cultures surrounding the Israelites. Other religious systems, including that of the Egyptians, served a wide variety of gods and goddesses. The worship of only one God made the faith of the Hebrews unique in the ancient world. 

When Christians say they believe in “God,” we mean the one-and-only Creator and Ruler of the universe and the Source of all life; the Supreme Being.  God, in Christianity, is a Being so superior to any other being or anyone or anything else, that nothing greater than Him exists nor could exist.

Any true relationship with God begins with this belief: that there is one – and only one – true and living God.  The LORD is absolutely God, and none other. He, and He alone, is the absolute, uncaused Creator and Sustainer of all.

The next logical step after acknowledging the only-ness of God is to love Him.  “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.”  Because He is exclusively and uniquely God. We are to love Him with an exclusive love. 

We love God with all our heart when we love Him exclusively, Him and Him alone. We love God with all our soul when we find our satisfaction in Him more than any other person or thing.  We love God with all our might when we make decisions to obey His every command. As Jesus said, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” (John 14:21)