What Is The Shema?
What is the Shema to cultures all over the world that find themselves drowning in poverty, self-gratification, crime, human trafficking, and disease? The Shema is the door to the answers to all these problems. 
Does this sound rather dramatic and maybe a bit grandiose? Before we answer with details the question, what is the Shema, we would like you to know what it is not.
It is not some new age meditation program. It is not the latest dance craze that will alter your perceptions of your surroundings.
In fact, if you are a bit familiar with the Bible, than you already know what is the Shema.
The Shema is the prayer that Jewish people recite that contains 3 passages of Scripture. The first line of the first passage in Deuteronomy 6:4 tells Israel to be alert to the fact that God is one and “love the Lord God” we everything we have.
This is the foundation for life and success for anyone who walks on the face of this earth. It starts with recognizing that God is present and Lord of all and that our response to Him should be of the utmost devotion.
Obviously, someone who thinks they are an atheist would have a real problem with this, because they believe all things are random and life has no defined purpose other than survival.
Remove God from society and the resulting consequences are suffering and hopelessness. People become self-absorbed and eventually any type of behavior becomes justified. Society breaks down and people perish.
What Is the Shema To True Life?
What is the Shema when it comes to our happiness? The Shema points us to the fulfillment of our true purpose and happiness.
We have read the passage many times about loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and it has likely become common or unimportant to us.
Someone might ask – how can I love a Father or a God that I can’t see or touch? The Bible tells us one powerful expression of love is obedience.
The most frequent message God gave His people in the Old Testament was for them to obey His Word. And real obedience is given freely and not based out of fear.
What is the Shema to an existence without purpose or hope? We mentioned before that the Shema is the door to the solutions for every type of human suffering. If this is true, what does this Shema door open up to?
That is a great question. The Shema directs us to revolve our lives around God. Once we do that, we can come face to face with the greatest expression of God’s love for us. The door opens to His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
God sent His Son to be the physical expression of His written Word. It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we can have salvation from every ugly and painful expression of death that mankind faces.
What Is The Shema To Your Heritage?
God also told us that it wasn’t enough for us individually to walk in complete love with our Heavenly Father. The concluding section of the first passage of the Shema directs us to teach and give a daily example to our children how this is done.
One generation will not change the plight of mankind. Repeating generations walking in love for God and Jesus Christ will.
Michael and Charleen
P.S. WHAT IS THE SHEMA to your world, to your community? Discover some powerful ways that you can love the Lord God with all your heart at the link above.