Listen and Love: A Remedy for the Disconnect
Do you ever feel a disconnect between your mind and your heart?
Recently, I found myself in a funk, frustrated that what I knew and what I wanted to do just didn’t seem to align. As a believer, I know the truth and desperately want to be guided by the Spirit, but I also don’t always “feel” like it. This is the battle of spirit and flesh.
So what do we do when we sense this disconnect? Is there a remedy?
There will always be a battle between spirit and flesh while we live on earth, but Deuteronomy 6:4-9 reminds us of the solution: we fall increasingly in love with God and allow this love to spur us forward. We choose love for our hearts and listening for our minds.
This passage lays out the relationship between listening to and loving God. It is also called the “Shema” and is one of the most recognized prayers in the Old Testament.
Take a look at the breakdown:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” V.4-6
The word “Shema” actually means to "hear" or "listen". But more importantly, it means we should allow the words to sink in, create understanding, and prompt a response. We are to both hear AND do; loving God with all we are. When God's love is at the forefront of our minds, it spurs us to obedience.
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” V.7
There is never a time we shouldn't think and talk about the Lord. Even mundane moments are opportunities to impact eternity. Take each and every opportunity to remind your heart and those around you of what God has done.
“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” V.8
Almost everything we do involves our eyes and our hands. This verse serves as a reminder that the Word of God should guide both our sight and our actions so even if we feel a disconnect, the truth and love serve as a bridge between the two.
“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” V.9
We both enter and leave through doorposts or gates. This last verse is a great reminder to walk closely with the Lord, asking Him to go before you when you leave and to prepare your way when you return. May our homes and our lives be places that reflect the love of God!
The next time you feel a disconnect between your mind and heart, take a minute to pray the Shema, asking God to increase your love for Him and to open your mind to what He has for you.
