“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God. The Lord is one! Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words that I am commanding you today are to be on your heart. Teach them diligently to your children.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
These powerful words are part of the “Shema,” a prayer that is spoken daily in Jewish tradition. Those verses were some of the first to be memorized by young children.
The word Shema means to hear. This passage is an exhortation for all of Israel to listen well to what God is telling through his servant Moses.
Earlier in Deuteronomy, he recounts Israel’s history and how God saved them mightily from slavery in Egypt. Before they enter the Promised Land, Moses stands before the sea of people and instructs them to “hear” what God has done for them, and more than that, to “remember.”
The great “I am who I am” of Exodus Chapter 3, “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” had worked in many miraculous ways to save his people, and he wanted them to keep that in the forefront of their minds. As they wandered in the wilderness, our gracious Triune God was visible to the children of Israel. He daily provided manna as food, and water and quail as needed, for 40 years. Yahweh was seen by day as a pillar of cloud and by night as a pillar of fire to assure the people of his faithful presence. During their exodus God was visible daily, but that wouldn’t always be the case. The people and their children would need to be taught and reminded of God’s faithful love and presence in their lives as well.
After Moses challenges his listeners to hear and remember, to keep these words “on your heart,” he instructs the people to teach and share them with their children. He even provides specific times and moments in a day when they can remind their children of who God is and how much he loves them. Since Yahweh would not be as visible as before, talking about him and his saving work was more important than ever. In order to share their faith with the next generation, parents would need to teach their children God’s Word and share his love and grace every day.
Moses gave this command to all of Israel. Parents are the primary ones tasked with impressing this on their children, but all of Israel was listening. Together everyone would want to help children know the one true God and follow him.
The same is true for us today. We are called to remember who our loving, gracious God is. How he created this beautiful world and our parents, Adam and Eve, and gave them the blessings of marriage and family. How our compassionate God promised a Messiah to rescue them and all people from sin after they disobeyed in the Garden of Eden.
At just the right time, God fulfilled his promise and sent his Son Jesus, born of Mary, to be the Savior of the world. These and many other wonderful lessons on God’s love and mercy need to be shared.
As Christian parents we want to pass them on to our children. And a church community offers caring individuals who will help encourage you in teaching the faith to future generations.
Deuteronomy 6 is an important reminder for us to listen well to God’s Word and remember that in love He sent a Savior to rescue us and provide eternal life. You and I have the amazing opportunity each day to respond to him in love and thankfulness and share his Good News with others!
