Memory Verse Day 2: The First and the Great

Amarás al SEÑOR tu Dios con todo tu corazón,
con toda tu alma y con toda tu fuerza.
(Deuteronomio 6:5 NBLH)

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might.
(Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV)

This verse is, of course, right after the famous verse known as the Shema Yisrael (Hear, Israel) – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)  Verse 5 is sometimes called the V’ahavta or the W’ahav’ta which means You shall love….

Jesus called this the first and great or foremost commandment, the second being You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18)  Then He said,"On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:40)

Augustine (354-450AD) once famously said,"Love God and do what you want." (Ama Deum et fac quod vis)  Of course, if we really love God, we will find ourselves living in obedience to Him.

Of course, that doesn’t mean this is the only verse we need in order to obey God.  This verse doesn’t tell us how to love God, or how to obey.  But it is the basis for the other commandments.

Jesus Himself said,"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)  And He taught many commandments – but again, they start with and end with the command to love.

We have such a wonderful, gracious God who wants a loving relationship with us.

But this is law – and the first law – and we’ve already broken it.  How much time do you spend in a week – or day – loving God with all your heart, soul and might?  If you’ve broken this commandment, that means you’ve broken the greatest commandment – and what sin could be worse?  Surely it all falls apart when the foundation crumbles.

Thank God, then, for the Gospel that John reminds us of when he says We love because he first loved us. (1John 4:19)