Deuteronomy 6:5-9 - Loving God

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon
your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at
home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get
up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write
them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deu 6:5-9 (NIV)

This passage provides the central theme of Deuteronomy. It sets a pattern
that helps us relate the Word of God to our daily life. We are to love God,
think constantly about his commandments, teach his commandments to our
children, and live each day by the guidelines in his Word. [Life Application
SB]

Here are means for maintaining and keeping up religion in our hearts and
houses. 1. Meditation. God's words must be laid up in our hearts, that our
thoughts may be daily employed about them. 2. The religious education of
children. Often repeat these things to them. Be careful and exact in
teaching thy children. Teach these truths to all who are any way under thy
care. 3. Pious discourse. Thou shalt talk of these things with due reverence
and seriousness, for the benefit not only of thy children, but of thy
servants, thy friends and companions. Take all occasions to discourse with
those about thee, not of matters of doubtful disputation, but of the plain
truths and laws of God, and the things that belong to our peace. 4. Frequent
reading of the word. God appointed them to write sentences of the law upon
their walls, and in scrolls of parchment to be worn about their wrists. This
seems to have been binding in the letter of it to the Jews, as it is to us
in the intent of it; which is, that we should by all means make the word of
God familiar to us; that we may have it ready to use upon all occasions, to
restrain us from sin, and direct us in duty. [Matthew Henry Commentary]

        All the kids called him "Grandpa."  He was a plumber with an
eighth-grade education.  But no one was more articulate about Jesus
Christ than Grandpa Craig.
        Kids from all over spent a lot of time with Grandpa - eating popcorn
in his living room, having Bible studies, praying, just "shooting
the breeze."  No matter where the conversation wandered, though,
Grandpa would always bring it around to Jesus.
        Whenever we were talking about school or dating or the future,
Grandpa would say, "That reminds me of something Jesus said ..." or,
"That's just like when Jesus ..." and he would reveal new insights
to us about Jesus.
        Grandpa's life was filled with the reality of Jesus' presence.  On
Saturday afternoons, we would sometimes take long walks with
Grandpa.  He would point to the countryside and say, "Now, that's
Jesus' way of showing us how much he loves us.  He made all these
things for us to enjoy."
        Grandpa saw Jesus in everything around him.  "See how the sun goes
down so faithfully every evening?"  he would ask.  "That show how
faithful Jesus is to us.  Just like the sun, he never lets us down."
        When anyone wondered how to act toward a new kid in school, Grandpa
would ask, "How would Jesus act if he were in school?"  Problems
with parents?  "What would Jesus do in your shoes?"  His advice was
always simple: "Focus on Jesus.  Figure it our from there."  [The
Youth Bible; p.1058]