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23/6
If I were to ask you what is the most often quoted passage of Scripture, how would you answer?
Most would suggest John 3:16. But there is a passage recited far more often. It is a passage known as the Shema, which is the Hebrew word translated “Hear.”
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4 The statement in this verse is the basic confession of faith in Judaism. It is repeated several times a day by Jews all over the world. The verses that follow instruct us to love God and give us basic instruction in doing that.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
“You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” — Deuteronomy 6:5-9
The picture represented here is being mindful of God in our daily living. In the little things, in the routine things, we are to remember God. He is to invade our conversations and influence our behavior. He is never to be far from our thoughts. God gave Israel ways, visible signs to remember Him, such as binding the Word of God to their hands and foreheads and writing the Word on the doorposts and gates of their homes.
Today we have no such reminders. We do however, have the Spirit of God living within us! How is it then that we still so often neglect to spend time with the Lord much less include Him in the daily activities of our lives?
That’s the simple concept behind 23/6. It is a reminder for us to try to spend one hour a day and one day a week with the Lord. It is intentionally not running around 24/7 as though life is only about racing against the clock! As the people of God, we need to have time set aside just to focus on who God is, and all that He has done. Imagine if we were to do this how our lives might change. When was the last time you were just quiet for an hour? Imagine the difference it could make in our family relationships! How might it change our entire church?
We have passed out many stickers and I have heard awesome stories from people who are trying to be 23/6 people; stories of getting closer to God and others as a result of a simple little concept…a reminder if you will, that God is always waiting to spend time with us. It’s not hard to hear from Him when we’ll just make a little space!
Do you have your sticker?