TLDR: We have one God that we are to love and teach others to love.
The other day, I met with a couple of parishioners and spoke about parenting; this has happened more than once as parenting is a significant part of my life. Later, when I went home, I was reminded of a reading from the lectionary that came up in the fall last year, Deuteronomy 6:4-9. What caught me was that I had recently seen part of these verses on a card about motherhood. The reason for this is simple, it is easy to understand from the passage that our command is to follow God above all things. Being curious, I went after our conversation and looked up the passage, it reads:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.[1]
This brought me back to our flourishing Christian Formation program where we instill the idea that God is above all others into the hearts of our members. We do this through classes taught on Sunday Mornings as well as throughout the week. The beginning of the passage is an announcement, essentially from a teacher, that we are to listen to their words.[2] This call to attention is no different thousands of years later, we are often not able to listen to God’s words because we are busy and have other items that grab our attention. I have found this to be even more true the older my girls get and the busier their schedules.
Still, this passage reminds me that like a lifevest, I am to tend to my relationship with God first, and then care for the relationship of others. Granted, as a priest, this command is a little easier as my job does not ask that I put anything else ahead of God. A few months ago, I was at Curate Camp and the presenter commented that we (clergy) have the best jobs because we get to spend as much time as we want studying scripture.
The challenge that I have seen among parents in particular is that sometimes there is not enough time to work on the relationship with God and how that impacts our parental relationships. This is why groups such as Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), Mothers of Adult Children (MAC), and Second Time Around are important; they help show God’s love to others. For these ministries to succeed, we need both members and support participation. I am grateful to our current participants and hope that all of you will continue holding these groups in your prayers and refer friends who might benefit from these groups.
As Deuteronomy six notes, the motivation for teaching our children to follow God is that we are drawn closer to God’s love.[3] The paradox of the section of Deuteronomy is that we (and I am including myself) cannot teach children to follow God unless we have God in our own hearts. Therefore it is essential to the work of our lives that we study scripture and take time to nourish our relationship with God.
Perhaps this is why Moses directs Israel to study God’s words at all times: at home and while away.[4] Moses’ message is clear: if we are constantly steeped in God’s ways our own hearts will be softer and more reflective of God’s love, with our children and with ourselves. My prayer for you this week is that you are able to love God with all your might and reflect this love to those you care about.
For His Sake,
Beth Anne +
[1] Deuteronomy 6:4-9
[2] Coogan, M.D. (Editor). (2018). Oxford Annotated Bible: NRSV. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[3] Davidson, S. (2015). Commentary on Deuteronomy 6:1-9.https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-31-2/commentary-on-deuteronomy-61-9-3
[4] Cummings, J.D. (2009). http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupLectionaryReading.asp?LRID=101
