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the divine presence of God throughout your day.

The Shema is the central prayer in the Jewish Prayer Book, and is often the first section

of Scripture that a Jewish child will learn.

For thousands of years, many observant Jews will recite the Shema twice a day, once in

the morning, and again in the evening.

The first six words in Hebrew are Shema Yisrael, Adonai Elohenu, Adonai Ekhad.

Here, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

I love the confidence in those words, the assurance of the promise, standing like a rock

against the ages.

Do you know and have that assurance?

Are you confident of living in the presence of God?

Well, this meditation from Deuteronomy chapter 6 is a reminder for you to remember that.

A meditation to center your mind, your body, and your soul on not forgetting the everlasting

favor of God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and your God.

So to begin, whether sitting in the first light of morning or resting in the quiet shadows

of evening, allow the next 15 minutes to become a divine retreat, a holy respite.

And allow your eyes to close now without effort, and permit your mind to center on the

Father, accept your body beginning to rest in the presence of the Son, and concede your

soul to feel favored here, guided by the Holy Spirit.

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