"The Greatest Commandment" in the OT - My Life Purpose
This is one version of "The Greatest Commandment" that can be found in the Old Testament (especially familiar is10:12 "serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul").
As this is my first public posting, I think it's appropriate to start at what I consider "the basics" of my faith as it should play out in my life. It's always good to come back to the most simple and foundational truths. To me, verses with the greatest commandments in them answer the question "what's life all about?" with "simple - loving God and loving people". A very simple complexity. Easy to eventually believe this truth; hard to actually live it out.
I don't usually find the NIV very poetic - I generally like it more for it's accuracy and solid study use. But in this case the translation of these verses is awesome - I definately feel my emotions rising as the passage progresses. In ten efficient verses I feel that: I have life's foundational questions answered; I am challenged to live a holy life; I have specific instructions on how to fulfill my life's purpose; I am reminded of God's awesomeness; and I am called to worship One who is worthy.
I have always liked the phrase "deep cries out to deep"; those words evoke a feeling in me that the depth of God's Spirit is resonating with the depth in my spirit - it's a very fluid and calm feeling - a form of communication between God and I is taking place that involves all of me, not just my mind. This passage does that for me - deep cries out to deep. I know in the depths of my soul that what is said here is true; my spirit feels joyful peacefulness in really knowing at an emotional and spiritual level that it's true. This knowledge awakens with in me a desire to respond as I should - with worship, obedience and faith.
As this is my first public posting, I think it's appropriate to start at what I consider "the basics" of my faith as it should play out in my life. It's always good to come back to the most simple and foundational truths. To me, verses with the greatest commandments in them answer the question "what's life all about?" with "simple - loving God and loving people". A very simple complexity. Easy to eventually believe this truth; hard to actually live it out.
I don't usually find the NIV very poetic - I generally like it more for it's accuracy and solid study use. But in this case the translation of these verses is awesome - I definately feel my emotions rising as the passage progresses. In ten efficient verses I feel that: I have life's foundational questions answered; I am challenged to live a holy life; I have specific instructions on how to fulfill my life's purpose; I am reminded of God's awesomeness; and I am called to worship One who is worthy.
I have always liked the phrase "deep cries out to deep"; those words evoke a feeling in me that the depth of God's Spirit is resonating with the depth in my spirit - it's a very fluid and calm feeling - a form of communication between God and I is taking place that involves all of me, not just my mind. This passage does that for me - deep cries out to deep. I know in the depths of my soul that what is said here is true; my spirit feels joyful peacefulness in really knowing at an emotional and spiritual level that it's true. This knowledge awakens with in me a desire to respond as I should - with worship, obedience and faith.
