June 22nd, 2021
By Eddie Keith
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. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
When I was growing up, I was in church at 8:30 every Sunday morning- Whether I wanted to or not. Whether I was out late the night before or at a sleepover. I was picked up for church, dressed and on time. When I was younger I didn’t understand.
Every summer I was sent to Malaga Camp… that one excited me. I could see my friends I hadn’t talked to. But I didn’t get the importance until I came into contact with Jesus Christ personally and intimately.
Things began to make sense about why we were in church at 8:30. Every Sunday. Without fail. Moses brought these words down to the people of Israel. It is known as the Shema. Shema is Hebrew for hear and it begins one of the most important prayers of the Ancient Israelites. This was recited by the people of Israel daily within Jewish tradition. This, according to Jesus, is the first and greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37). How did it get from Moses telling it to the people to Jesus replying to this expert of the law?
Simply, it was passed on from generation to generation. The Shema was impressed upon each generation's children. It was talked about in the home. It was made a priority from parent to child. If I am being honest, we, in 2021, have collectively lost some of that.
As a father now, I get what my father was trying to impress upon me and I want to now convey that importance. “The Lord is one” and we are to love him with all of our hearts, strength, mind and souls. These are things our kids should see writing on the doorframes of our houses. That we keep the main thing the main thing.
As you reflect this week, what is written on your doorframe? What becomes the priority that your kids see this week?
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. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
When I was growing up, I was in church at 8:30 every Sunday morning- Whether I wanted to or not. Whether I was out late the night before or at a sleepover. I was picked up for church, dressed and on time. When I was younger I didn’t understand.
Every summer I was sent to Malaga Camp… that one excited me. I could see my friends I hadn’t talked to. But I didn’t get the importance until I came into contact with Jesus Christ personally and intimately.
Things began to make sense about why we were in church at 8:30. Every Sunday. Without fail. Moses brought these words down to the people of Israel. It is known as the Shema. Shema is Hebrew for hear and it begins one of the most important prayers of the Ancient Israelites. This was recited by the people of Israel daily within Jewish tradition. This, according to Jesus, is the first and greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37). How did it get from Moses telling it to the people to Jesus replying to this expert of the law?
Simply, it was passed on from generation to generation. The Shema was impressed upon each generation's children. It was talked about in the home. It was made a priority from parent to child. If I am being honest, we, in 2021, have collectively lost some of that.
As a father now, I get what my father was trying to impress upon me and I want to now convey that importance. “The Lord is one” and we are to love him with all of our hearts, strength, mind and souls. These are things our kids should see writing on the doorframes of our houses. That we keep the main thing the main thing.
As you reflect this week, what is written on your doorframe? What becomes the priority that your kids see this week?
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