Remember, don’t forget, God did it!

Norah Summers November 06, 2018 0 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Deuteronomy 6: 1-9

1 “These are all the laws that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. Obey them in the land that you are about to enter and occupy. 2 As long as you live, you and your descendants are to honor the Lord your God and obey all his laws that I am giving you, so that you may live in that land a long time. 3 Listen to them, people of Israel, and obey them! Then all will go well with you, and you will become a mighty nation and live in that rich and fertile land, just as the Lord, the God of our ancestors, has promised.

4 “Israel, remember this! The Lord—and the Lord alone—is our God. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. 8 Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

There are two great stained glass panels in Falkirk Trinity Church, designed in the 1890s by Christopher Whall. One depicts “Love to God” in four Old Testament scenes – Abel’s sacrifice; Abraham and Isaac; Moses and the Burning Bush; David with his harp. The other depicts “Love to one’s neighbour” and tells the story of the Good Samaritan. 

Thus the Great Commandment is set plainly in front of us as we worship, but also in front of the other groups who use our Sanctuary for concerts, conferences or whatever. Describing the windows to visitors gives us an opportunity to tell these stories from long ago, not only illustrations of a commandment, but reminders of God’s eternal faithfulness.

Faithful God,

we want to love you 

as Abel did, with all our heart;

as Abraham, with all our soul;

as Moses, with all our strength;

as David, with all our mind.

We want to love our neighbour,

as did the Good Samaritan,

regardless of race, creed, gender,

or any other human division.

We want to love you, 

because you first loved us.