Loving God Completely

“⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” ~ Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV)

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is one of the most notable biblical passages named as the shema (Hebrew for “hear” as found in v. 4) and viewed as the “classic” confession of faith for the Hebrews. Verses 4 and 5 are seen as positive restatement of the first command in the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-21). (Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary or EWC)

The shema begins in verse 4 with an declaration of the Lord (“YHWH”) of unity (cf. 1 Cor. 8:6). The Hebrew word echad translated as “one” speaks of a compound unity not a singularity, thus it appears “to indicate the Trinity or the three persons in the one divine nature.” The word for “God” in Hebrew is elohim, which is a plural. (Guzik, EWC)

If verse 4 reveals a knowable God, then verse 5 allows us to act rightly toward Him: It contains what Jesus Christ would call the Greatest Commandment more than 500 years later (cf. Matt. 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34, and Luke 10:27). In verse 5 as is in the New Testament, complete obedience is expected of the people of God. To Moses in Deuteronomy (and Jesus in the Gospels), love is not “emotions-minus-ethics.” How do God’s people demonstrate love for Him? By how they do or do not obey, and not by how they do or do not feel. It is, however, still positively about love, and not some cold obedience. (Strawn, Working Preacher Commentary)

Why does God want us to love him completely?

God wants a complete love from us. This love is appropriate because He loved us completely: We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). … When we really love the LORD with all of our heart, soul, and mind, then everything else is freely given to the LORD. If we give the LORD all the rest – money, time, effort, will, and so forth – without giving Him our love, it is all wasted – and perhaps, all is lost. (Guzik, EWC)

When we love the Lord completely – with all our heart, soul, and mind – we are able to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (cf. Matt. 22:37-38). Are you and i seeking to love Him more daily? It is the “secret” to loving others well! Shalom.

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