MONDAY

SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Have you ever heard someone say, “I feel so scattered today”? Perhaps you have felt that way too. Sometimes that feeling comes from trying to cover too many bases at once. Other times, it reflects how fragmented our lives can become, with too many divergent pieces that do not easily fit together. We may even long for a more integrated life where the pieces work in harmony, or at least not in tension with each other.

In many ways, the Ancient Near Eastern world from which the Bible stories emerged was also fragmented. Different gods were believed to oversee different aspects of life or specific locations. In the midst of that world, God raised up people like Abraham and the children of Israel and shared a very different understanding of reality. There was one God who was Lord of everything. Life was not divided into competing parts, but unified under the One who invites scattered people to become whole through grace and love.

They did not get it right all at once and often forgot who they were called to be. Yet God remained faithful. Today’s passage captures the heart of this in verse 4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” Life was not meant to be torn between conflicting interests, but lived in response to the one God who is over all.

As you read and reflect on today’s passage, consider the following:

• What do you hear God promising as the result of allowing God to be the unifying center of life, especially in verses 2 and 3?

• Where does God say the commandments are to reside in verse 6? What do you hear in that? Where do they reside for you?

• How does the passage describe the impact of keeping God central in the various aspects of life? How does it describe keeping this in focus? What stands out to you in that language?

• In what ways does your life feel more fragmented than unified? How might this passage be speaking into that, or reinforcing a sense of integration if you are already experiencing it?

• As you listen and reflect, what invitation do you sense God extending to you?

Take a few moments to respond to God in prayer about what you’re thinking and feeling as you reflect on all this.