May 20, 2021 -- Mark 12:28-30 -- Christian Imagination Unleashed in Holy Service
/And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall 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 12:28-30 ESV
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV
That first imperative “hear” is the translation of the Hebrew sh’ma. It carries the dual meaning of “to hear and to obey”. It is why I title my blog “sh’ma Christian Ministries”. Those who hear the word of the LORD are to put it into practice. A Jewish person would recognize Deuteronomy 6:4 immediately as a devout religion-practicing Jew will recite this every morning. The text is known by its first word. It is called the “Shema” or “Sh’ma”.
Did you notice the subtle difference between the way in which Jesus recited the Sh’ma Mark compared to the way it is written in Deuteronomy? He added that the believer is to love the LORD with all his mind. Yes, the heart. Also the soul. Indeed the strength must be fully employed in service to the Living God—but the mind. Our imagination must be directed to the purpose of obedient living for Jesus.
This is why what a believer watches makes such a difference. Television shows, movies, media snippets watched on various platforms all influence the mind for or against the Living God. What you are watching and listening to, do such things enhance your imagination so that you are whole-heartedly and full on imaginatively living for God? Ouch, I feel the weight of conviction on this as well.
LORD of Heaven and Earth, You Who knit us together in our mother’s womb, direct us by Your Spirit so that even our minds and our imagination will be put into holy service as we seek to hear and obey Jesus. Forgive us for the staggering amounts of time we waste on social media, and gaming and selfish pursuits. With the Psalmist may we apply this Spirit-inspired blessing to our own lives: ^Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in His ways! Amen.
^Psalm 119:1-3
https://youtu.be/sI6ZkTbUgW4
