“The Lord Our God, The Lord Is One”

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘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 mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

The religious leaders in ancient Israel made the laws complex. The growing burden of religious laws had increased to the point where even an expert in Moses’s struggled to understand its core.

Jesus told it like it was then, and still is. One of the leaders asked Him what mattered the most in the Commandments. Jesus put the first where it belonged and still belongs. “The Lord is one.”

The law of Moses was burdensome, but fait in Christ is simple and His “burden is light.” It’s light because God was willing to forgive us and love us. Now he enables us to love Him and our neighbor.

God’s love in our heart gives us a heart for Him and others.

Our Daily Bread – August 11, 2014