Encompassing the Shema

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. "(Deuteronomy 6:6-9). 

As we continue a series on the Shema (Sh’ma) found in Deuteronomy 6, let’s take a moment to consider how encompassing the Shema can impact your entire life.

In the verses following the Shema, we are told to allow these commands are meant to infiltrate our entire lives. When we choose to love God with our hearts, souls, and minds, this will be evident in what we do and in how we love others. The way we participate in the day-to-day is an outward sign of our desire to live a life that reflects God’s heart. To Moses, it seems very important to mention that our intentions may be lost whenever our actions do not reflect our intent. Realizing our lives point to what we truly love is necessary.

If we truly love God, there is no need to hide our intentions to love Him. We are firmly instructed in these verses to not only live a life that reflects what we believe, but to post what we believe in places where others we interact with can clearly see what we are about. The directives here are basically to be so wrapped and consumed with loving God that all else is drastically impacted.

If you’ve met my husband, Ben, it likely took one interaction with him to discover where he went to college. Without much effort, you will notice his clothing, words, and focus often points to the University of Michigan. Friends tease him about this, and this is something I often roll my eyes at, but it is more than obvious. Yes, he talks about their games, bothers people who support Ohio State/UW Madison/Michigan State, and ensures everyone who is within a mile hears him cheer when his team scores. It is clear that he loves Michigan. (Go blue or whatever.)

Because of Ben’s love of the team, when he is watching a Michigan game with our kids or telling his friends about how he finally got to take some of our kids to a game, he is in a place of excitement and happiness. Without question, he will always choose to support our family or friends if a game overlaps with something important. However, when I find out there was a game at the same time as something we did and he missed it without complaint, I am filled with a different level of gratitude. His willingness to put aside something that brings him temporary happiness for something valuable, brings me awareness that his love for Michigan is big, but not biggest. Yet, without being told to do so, my husband continues to don his favorite teams’ merch (a sometimes embarrassing amount) and yes, even off season. (Note: the yellow Michigan shorts were not an approved purchase; no photo included to preserve our marriage.)

Moses is encouraging God’s people to metaphorically wear the love of God the same way. He is inviting them to make it known that they love God. He is encouraging them to display their love for God even more than my husband supports his alma mater. He is encouraging us to do the same.

Photo by Egemen Dagistanli

Almost two weeks ago, my son went missing. (Updates available on my personal facebook page). In the midst of this terrible season of life, we have seen many people wear their love of God in incredible ways. We have been loved in such intentional, almost aggressive ways, that we cannot ignore how loved we are.

In lieu of telling you about how to love others by brainstorming “good” ways we can do so, I am going to share ways you can love others by exposing what we’ve needed and how God brought our community around us to demonstrate His love for us in this difficult season through words, solidarity, refuge, and nourishment.

Words of Comfort

There was one particular night that was very frightening last week. With little sleep as a result of the difficult circumstances, I only was able to sleep a couple hours, but then laid in bed awake for a while before my phone buzzed at about 5am. The night before, I had texted a few friends and one of those friends had gone to bed early and was responding just as I was praying for God to remind me I was safe. The friend confirmed my situation was one worth being scared of, returned each text promptly, and offered to text as long as I needed. With my husband sleeping beside me, any other form of words were not going to help. I wanted him to find rest, but God provided this friend to remind me that it’s ok to be fearful and to guide me to God’s power.

Solidarity

Later that morning, another friend found me in a parking lot, unaware of what had happened. God uniquely selected this friend who had encountered similar heartache. As I caught them up, they wrapped an arm around me as I encountered a panic attack, cried with me, and prayed for me. The provision of this person at this moment was not something I could have even expressed was exactly what I needed. Who knew being in a parking lot could be so valuable?

Refuge

After the sleepless night, another friend reached out to see what I needed. Hearing I had little sleep, she offered a solution of her own invention. This offer was what she and her children eventually coined, “Hotel for Auntie Jill.” Her own bedroom became a safe place for me to lie down, with clean sheets, paired with their joy of serving me made it easy to lean into and receive this form of love. Through their hospitality, and insistence that I come, allowed me to truly find rest.

Another friend offered refuge to one of our children, embracing them with patience, gentleness, and a safe place to remember who they were. They offered a bed, time, and healing we didn’t realize would be so nourishing to all of our souls.

Nourishment

Several generous gifts of the provision of food in form of gift cards, cash, and meals, has been an overwhelming blessing and encouragement. Allowing ourselves to feel the pain and anguish of the situation is so much easier when meals and shopping can be put on the back burner. One friend came and sat with us and caught up with us as we devoured her delicious meal after months of not seeing each other. Another came and cooked dinner for us and all who came to our weekly gathering. Being together with them as they served us was as nourishing as the yummy food. The sustenance of food paired with community and feeling valued by those who sent things is immeasurable.

One gift came at a moment where I couldn’t convince myself to get out of bed. A friend with no knowledge of my condition of hopelessness and despair sent a food delivery gift card digitally. Upon receipt I realized I hadn’t eaten in far too long, and like Elijah, I knew the value of a nap, but had forgotten my need for food. The amount covered exactly what we needed and I had to get out of bed to answer the door. After eating, I was able to notice the beautiful weather, and drove out to walk with a friend instead of climbing back into the pit of fear I had been living in. I was filled with joy and tears as I ran into this friend as she checked in with me at church on Sunday. Sharing my state and her intervention brought her to see God used her to minister to a part of my soul I didn’t even consider asking for help with. Such a beautiful gift.

Some friends took care of our dog, one stopped by simply to give me a hug, another came to sit with Ben; more have prayed, sent messages, and followed up to see how we are doing. People have reminded us of God’s goodness amidst the pain. Instead of boring you with dozens more little stories, I want to bring your attention to the impact of the creative, intentional ways others displayed the love of God to us this week.

The ways God love has displayed the value of community has turned my attention away from the pain of the world and toward His incredible love for me. My relationship with Him has only grown. After being raised in the church, I thought loving others was the most important way to increase your relationship with God, but what I have noticed this week is how much letting people love me has brought such richness to my receiving God’s love for me.

Honestly, I have found that allowing others to love me has been a significant stretch of discomfort. While there is no way for me to thank each of these people for the ways they have brought me comfort and hope in these days, I am certainly going to try. Not because they did anything significantly difficult, but because they considered me and loved us as God led them to. The richness of letting them enter into our lives in this vulnerable space has been of incredible value to me.

While we will likely remain in the storm for some time, the support and love has made us notice moments of beauty and awe. It has given us awareness of God’s desire to sit with. Between bouts of overwhelming pain, uncertainty, and instability, the presence of our community reminds us of our God who is a comforting, stable, and safe refuge. He has displayed how to safely love us, and now we are allowing people who resemble His love to step into our pain with us - by letting them love us.

These acts of love remind me of a song (Psalm 121) of God’s people. These words begin with one person looking for hope and assurance of God’s willingness to be with us, but shifts to a communal expression of God’s presence that is a shared experience; a reality we notice whenever we are attentive to how He is at work around us. Notice in the photo above, the focus is the mountain and the sun’s bright light, but if you look closely, you’ll see people climbing and celebrating the hard work of perseverance together.

May this song remind us all to look to Him when others display His love. When we experience this safe, generous love, may it encourage us to know the climb is worth it. May we remember that He is among us, helping us each step of the way.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.