Our Daily Bread Designs Bible Verse Thursday Challenge #50 - The Great Commandment

Wow, I can hardly believe this is number 50!  I have had such a wonderful and inspirational time over the past year doing these challenges each week.  Thank you all for your support and encouragement.  I thought for #50 I would do probably one of the best known verses in the bible and, of course, the Great Commandment given us by our Lord.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

& with all your soul & with all your strength."  

~Deuteronomy 6:5

This verse, and really the entire Book of Deuteronomy, describes the attitude for responding to God, as He speaks to us. “Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today” (Deut. 6:5-6). We note the repetition here of the key word “today”.

This God speaking His holy will anew to each of us today and loved with all our heart, is closer to us than any other god is to its devotees. The Lord then is closer to us than any other supreme value in life, including life itself. Not only our life but also the land where we live has been given to us by the Lord “that you may live and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.”

Jesus turned spontaneously to the book of Deuteronomy for inspiration in his own response to life. It was among his favorites, perhaps, because of Deuteronomy’s sense of compassion to neighbor and devotion to pleasing God each passing day. Whether in the temptation scene (Matt 4:1-11) or in answering the questions about the first and greatest law (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus replied with the words of this book. Deuteronomy resonates with the core attitude of Jesus; it spoke to his best self more easily than many other books in the Bible. In this light we can appreciate Jesus’ reflection: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them . . . not the smallest part of a letter of the law shall be done away with until it all comes true.”

We, too, want to grow into this attitude of Jesus, modeled upon Deuteronomy.  Let us not forget to make time for spiritual reflection and purification, so that the least wish of God becomes an absolute command for us. God, in Jesus, is that close to us. He speaks today, this moment. He appeals to the love of all our heart. Love such as this, stirred within our heart by God’s immediate presence, happily takes away our liberty as we spontaneously seek this clasp of love. Without deciding between a million and one options we have chosen the very best, and all the world will testify: “This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.”

Your challenge this week is to use this scripture or another verse that describes an attitude for approaching God.  When uploading your project, please use keyword ODBDBVT50 and then hop over to Our Daily Bread Designs Forum and share it with the community!

God Bless,

Supplies for this project
Cardstock:  Truly Yours - Black Card Base; Bazzill - Deep Red Blush; Recollections - Parchment
Decorative Paper:  Graphic 45 - Birdsong
Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs - Scripture Series 3
Inks, Stains & Paints:  Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories & Other Stuff:  American Crafts Ribbon; Wild Orchid Flowers; Graphic 45 Metal Staples Doorplate