For the next 12 weeks, the Christ Community congregation, adults and children, will be working to memorize Deuteronomy 6:4–9, also known as “The Shema.” The Shema is a foundational text in the Bible because it calls us to love God with our whole being—heart, soul, and strength. Remembering the Shema helps us keep God at the center of our lives, guides how we live, and shapes how we teach and pass on our faith to others—it’s a daily reminder to align our thoughts, actions, and priorities with God’s will, making his presence and commands the guiding force in everything we do.
Read | Deuteronomy 6:4–9
“Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates."
Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV.
Meditate on this passage by reading it in silence once, out loud a second time, and writing it down. What stands out to you?
Focus
- Memorize Deuteronomy 6:4
- Write out Deuteronomy 6:4
- “4 Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Pray
May my words and actions be consistent, the same when I’m alone as when I’m with others, in times of plenty and in times of trial. Help me to accept all your commands as good and to reject every false path. May I never be content with my current spiritual growth, but keep adding to my faith: virtue, knowledge, self-control, godliness, kindness, and love. May I never overlook what is essential to being a true follower of Christ or what is needed to grow into his likeness. Help me to practice what is wise, nurture what is beautiful, honor the gospel, represent the way of Jesus well, and trustfully align myself with your providence.
— Adapted from The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett, pp. 200–201
Going Deeper
Throughout this year-long series in theFormed.life, the daily Scripture reading will take you through the whole story of Scripture in manageable chunks, allowing time for other study, reflection, and prayer, rather than including every verse and chapter in the Bible. If you would like to go deeper and read through the entire Bible, use this whole Bible reading plan from the BibleProject. Print it off and use it as a checklist to track your progress!