Our Priorities?
Many traditional Jewish homes have a ‘Meduzah’ fixed to their door post on the right side. This very ancient tradition is very meaningful for it is there to remind the ‘Children of Israel’ why they are here. A ‘meduzah’, which is Hebrew for ‘doorpost’, is a small folded or rolled piece of parchment on which has been written words from the book of Deuteronomy, which is in the earliest part of the Bible that was edited by Moses himself. There are two sections written out, Deuteronomy 6 verses 4-9 and Deuteromy 11 verses 13-21. The first of these is the ‘Shema’, which is read at the beginning of all Jewish synagogue services. ‘Shema is Hebrew for ‘hear’ for that is how Deuteronomy 6 verse 4 begins,
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart . . . “
This parchment is placed in a metal, wooden or glass case in such a way that the Hebrew word ‘Shaddai’, meaning ‘Almighty’, written on the back can be seen. It is customary for some Jews to kiss the ‘Meduzah’ as they pass it as a sign of their commitment to its meaning.
Jesus had many discussions with the religious leaders of his time about what authority he acted under to say and do the things he did. His answer was that he was the Son of God himself and that he therefore acted on his own authority, there being nothing higher! There are 613 statutes in the Jewish law and Rabbis have tried to differentiate between the greater and the littler ones. On one occasion Jesus was asked which is the most important of these. He replied by referring to the ‘Shema’.
“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.” (Mark 12 v 29-30)
Note the emphasis that the commitment required by God is total and absolute, “all your heart, all . . . . , all . . . . , all . . . . .’ Nothing less will do. Living for God is to be the priority of our lives. Everything else is secondary. We Christians are sold out as willing slaves of the God of the universe. It is our longing to please him. Such a commitment to God will show itself as a commitment to loving others as God loves them. Jesus went on to make this point by quoting from Leviticus 19 verse 18 where holiness is explained in terms of our relationship with other people,
“Love your neighbour as yourself.”
So often when Jesus quotes the Old Testament he stops just before a very telling phrase, which undoubtedly his hearers would have known. In this case the next phrase is,
“I am the LORD”.
This is the message that he longed that everyone should understand – that He is the LORD, that he is equal to Jahweh - Jehovah God!
Such teaching brings with it real problems. All true Christians have said to Jesus, rather like Thomas did,
“Yes, You are the LORD, you are my LORD and my God.”
My problem is that although I want to live with this new perspective, I have in no way achieved this. What can I do? The answer is the thrilling crux of the Christian gospel. My hope is not the devoted way I live, it is dependant on Jesus himself. He has paid the price for my weakness and failure by taking the penalty for my sin on himself on that cross. He has given me His righteousness so that I may stand confidently before God. He is my atonement. No longer are the ritual sacrifices of the old law needed, they are fulfilled in Him. “It is finished.” The proof that I have been forgiven by the Lord God of the universe is that He has placed His Spirit in me and in all of his people. We have the evidence of God’s spirit in us, in that we really do want to live for Jesus and be the sort of people he wants us to become.
The ‘Shema’ is addressed to ‘Israel’ but because we Christians share the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we have been adopted into God’s family. We are now “heirs together with Israel” (Ephesians 3 v. 6). Israel is the name God gave to Jacob after they wrestled all night and literally means “he struggles with God”. It is so apt a name for me. I still struggle in my commitment and obedience to the Lord Jesus. However the Lord has sealed his commitment to me both by having Jesus die for me on that cross and by giving me His spirit (which I know I have because I long to please Him).
Allelulia, what a relief, what a Saviour! This good news drives me on to want to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength.
BVP
