It is popular among bloggers to choose a word for the year. I've never done it before, but this year, I asked G-d if He had one word He'd like me to focus on. I was surprised when He gave me the word
"LISTEN "
He told me to listen in these areas:
His Voice
The Scriptures
My Husband
My Own Spirit
My Body
Others
I'm gong to writing about these different areas in the weeks ahead, giving the Scriptures and the insights I receive as I listen.
Listening is important in Judaism. Part of our weekly liturgy is this passage from Deueronomy, known as the Sh'ma - (King James Version):
4 Hear, O Israel: The L-rd our G-d is One.
5 And thou shalt love the L-rd thy G-d with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day,
shall be in thine heart:
7 And
thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of
them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house,
and on thy gates.
Did you pick up on the first word of this passage? HEAR...which is another way of saying LISTEN.
Many people are aware of this passage, but pass over what comes in the verses before:
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the L-rd your G-d commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2 That thou mightest fear the L-rd
thy G-d, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command
thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life;
and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the L-rd G-d of thy fathers hath promised thee,
in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
He wants us to hear and obey His commandments, statutes and judgments. He wants us to teach these things to our children. He wants us to do this because His ways are the ways of love and blessing and long life. In Hebrew, we say "L'Chiam" which means, "To Life" -- His Ways are the way to live.
Here are the links to the posts mentioned. I will post links as I write them:
Listening to His Holy Word
Listening to His Voice
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I'm linking up today with:
