Worthy of Our Love

When asked which of the commandments found in God’s Law is the greatest, Jesus responds with a simple prayer—a child’s prayer—that every Israelite would know:

Hear, O Israel:

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

This prayer—named for its first word, “Shema!” (Listen!)—was given by Moses to the people of God as they left their former slavery in Egypt. It was intended to keep this truth constantly in mind: that God is the only god worthy of our love.