Loving The Lord With Your Whole Soul
Understand what it means to love God with your whole soul by exploring the Hebrew word “nephesh” and how it shapes our daily devotion to Him.
What does it mean to love God with your whole soul? Let’s look at the Hebrew word soul to understand more deeply how we are called to authentically love God.
When I was in high school, I took Spanish for four years. In college, I continued studying it. Looking back, I wish one of those classes had been Hebrew. In my adult life, learning Hebrew has helped me far more than any other subject. Here’s why…
Hebrew is such a rich and specific language. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and when you understand even a little of it, Scripture becomes so much more meaningful. The original words often reveal a depth of understanding that can’t be captured in English alone.
The Shema
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deut 6:4-9
This passage is part of a prayer Jesus Himself would have prayed every day, likely morning and evening. It’s from a larger prayer called the Shema (pronounced sh-mah’)—a powerful call to action and a declaration of devotion to the Lord.
Jesus not only prayed these words but also taught them as the greatest commandment (Mark 12: 28–30). So if He said it was the greatest, we should want to understand exactly what it means to “love God with all of our soul.”
What Is One’s Soul
To understand this commandment, we need to look at the meaning of the word soul. In Hebrew, soul is nephesh, and at its most basic meaning, it refers to life.
So, when Scripture says, “Love the Lord with your whole soul,” it’s saying, love the Lord with your whole life. Love Him in every moment, in every circumstance, for all of your days.
That means not just on Sundays or special occasions like Christmas or Easter, and not only when you feel like it. Loving the Lord with your whole soul means loving Him on the good days, the hard days, and all the ordinary days in between.
It’s choosing to live in a constant, faithful relationship with Him because He first loved us with such extravagant love.
This kind of love is not based on emotion or convenience. It’s a deliberate choice. Loving God with our whole life means committing to love Him with every part of who we are—our thoughts, actions, and every breath we take.
Our Deepest Calling
Jesus is calling us to love God with our whole life…
LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. Luke 10:27
Every moment of every day and in every circumstance! Isn’t that just what Jesus did? He loved God and us with His whole life!
Scripture To Meditate On
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. John14: 21
Have a blessed Sunday!
I admire your including the spiritual connection in your blog. Afterall, we have so much for which to be grateful, and our ability to make life good for ourselves and others requires the ongoing recognition that we are loving and accountable to the greatest One of all. . .
Thank you for all you do on your site.
God bless,
from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada
Thank you for a lovely post. Could you write a post on how you became comfortable with praying or talking to God through out the day? Thank you.
This post is a great and I look forward to it each week. It is a great inspiration…Thank You
You are so welcome, Donna! Bless the Lord!
Decided to read your blog before going to church and it is (as always) such and inspiration. Thank you so much for this everyday reminder.
Lovely post.Have a wonderful Sunday.
There are no more perfect words to live by! May my life reflect this passage!
Thank you for a meaningful Sunday post.
Beautiful scripture and very beautiful article! I loved it. Thank you for this uplifting quote to start my Sunday with.
Wonderful to read first thing when I wake up! Thank you for your commitment to share His love with us!
Enjoy your Sunday. Blessings ? Annette
Thank you for your Sunday posts! They are always inspirational and educational. Blessings to you from North Carolina
Wonderful words…praying now for my sick husband. Have a blessed day.
Such a good word! Thank you. If we love him we will keep his commandments – what does that look like in our lives? To capture every thought, to pray that our hearts are clean and our intent always loving, to help those in need…tall orders for all of us! Pressing on to finish the race.
Thank you so much for these encouraging words this morning. I’m having to work today (thankful for a good job) but would have liked to have been in a church service. God gave me the desire of my heart with your encouraging words. I am strengthened and ready to tackle the work ahead of me. May you have a God Blessed Day as well!
What wonderful words to live by. Thanks Yvonne and have a blessed day!
Blessed be you, Yvonne….smiles…..Anne
Love your Sunday posts! It’s a beautiful verse and something we need to remember every day.
Thoroughly enjoy your scripture posts. What a wonderful world this would be if everyone lived by the commandments! You are an inspiration.
Thank you . I give thanks to our Lord and Savior every morning before my feet hit the floor and every evening before I close my eyes. He is everything to me.
Thank you for such a beautiful post. May God Bless You.
Yes! He is Lord of all……even our good days and bad days!
Yvonne, I really look forward to your Sunday Scripture lessons. I think you should publish them in a book, I’d be your first customer. God bless you.
BEAUTIFUL. Thank you so much.
Beautiful – thanks!
Beautifully said ❤️?❤
Yes indeed! Sometimes we can get off Track! Need to focus on Gods word !
Well said & thank you. Something I hope to share with my grands!!
Amen! The Lord is good all the time. he is calling His people to have intimacy with Him in your prayer closet. he has ask His prayer warriors to fast and pray for Trump. He has been chosen by God to be His Cirus, yes, to really make America great. The Lord calls America a gift for the nations, specially to help His people, Israel. Obama would have never done it. he wanted the destruction of Israel as a nation as well as our nation. But trump is all the contrary. Please join the body of Christ in prayer, fasting and intercession for Trump. Every Friday night witches and warlocks are getting together in their malls as they call the place were they meet and making sacrifices to make spells and hexes against Trump. We need to intercede for Him constantly until further notice by the Lord.
May the Lord reveal to you what He wants you to do in obedience for the nation.
May the Lord keep you
Shalom
Vianni
What a lovely post.
Marion
Beautiful words for a Sunday or any day.
Joan
What an inspiring post. Thank you.
Marilyn
This scripture verse is the very first thing I can remember memorizing for a Sunday School lesson over 60 years ago!
I love your Sunday posts. Thanks for the inspiration and reminder of the Lord’s love for us.
What a beautiful lesson for me. I need to love the Lord my God with my whole life, whether we are together on the mountain of joy, or in the valley of suffering.
With your permission I would like to share this with my life group.
Thank you for including GOD and JESUS on your blog. We all need the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our lives.
This prayer is so true. Wish everyone would see it.
A beautiful reminder in our fast and hurried lives. I find your weekly scripture inspires me to slow down and pay more attention to my prayers.
Words to live by. Beautiful prayer.
lovely post Yvonne , my Husband teaches a Sunday school class for the young adults (20-30) on renewing the mind and this is our class themes scripture .
Amen and amen!
Amen! My pastor used this verse today in his sermon.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your Sunday posts. Your insights are always wonderful. Can never get enough of the scriptures
We are to love God with all of our being! He is so good!!
God is good!! Have a blessed Sunday.
Every. Single. Day. This blog inspires – inside or outside, spiritually or encouragemently < not a word, hope you get it anyway.
Thank you. God bless.
Have a WONDERFUL week, Yvonne. Hope you are getting around a tad better this week. ♥
Amen. Have a blessed week.
This is a wonderful Sunday post. It is very inspiring.
I really enjoyed this post, it is a good reminder & a great way to start the week!
Thanks for your insight on this scripture. Lovely.
Thank you for sharing your heart.
After you finish writing all your books , maybe you should look into getting a job with your amazing voice , Love it and thanks for inspiring us.
Perfectly stated!
So wonderfully written as always. Blessings Yvonne.❤️
Love your Sunday posts!
Thanks so much for this important reminder!
Thank you, Yvonne, for these words of encouragement. This has long been a favorite verse of mine. Thanks for the instructional, inspirational post today.
I remember this verse from the mouth of every teacher I had in grade school. What an amazing way to live our lives according to His words and will.
Love your Sunday morning devotions!
In our Bible study this week we were referring to the Shema. I so enjoy your blogs. Thank you for including biblical truths.
This is surely our foundation. One area of confusion for women can be surrendering all to Christ, then trying to figure out which worldly goals to pursue, like education or work. I would love to see a post on this. Thank you!
Thank you for your words. Love the Lord at all times. His mercies endure for ever.
thank you for the verse, I want to make a sign with the verse on it.
I always love reading your truly heartfelt words on God. I’ve been dealing with some pretty tough battles as of late, and yet what do I always forget? To love him with my whole life…if I did that there would be no battles. Thank you for the reminder. It seems when I read your biblical principles there is a need in my life that it fills.
I just found Stonegable a few days ago by chance. Now that I see that you are a follower of Jesus; I understand all the beauty and blessings that I have observed thus far.
Amen and Amen.
Maureen, thanks so much! Welcome to the StoneGable family!
Yep, every second of every day. Like you say….not Sunday morning Christians, not Easter day or Christmas day Christians. Have a great week.
So true and what a way to live life to the fullest!!
Yvonne, I love that you shine your light for the world to see! We all need that kind of love for the Lord in the world. When people live with that kind of true passion, it touches and changes the lives of so many. Bless you!
Great post, Yvonne. And we can love Him, even through our home decor… bringing Him glory through it! After all, He has created us to be creative… just like Him. <3
thank you so much!
Thank you for your spiritual blogs. It’s always inspiring to have a new perspective on an old verse, one we’ve read and quoted many times over. It took me a long time to realize that you can’t separate God from the rest of your life. He’s over it all, and we should always let Him guide us in everything we do and say. Without feeling His presence throughout the day, I would go nuts. It gives me such peace to know He is ALWAYS right here with me, and I can talk to to Him all through the day right here at my desk (or slip into the restroom if I really need to turn something over to Him!). Thank you again for sharing.
Thank you for this blessing❤
I love your scriptures..these are very precious ones to me. I live alone now with my dog..I have three grown boys. My parents have been gone for a long time..and I have a very loving relationship with Jesus!! He is always here for me and I never feel alone! What a friend we have with Jesus!!! Thanks Yvonne I love your website..I love interior design and if I’m ever sad..coming here and getting new ideas awakens that passion..especially during Fall and Christmas!!!! Thanks for your beautiful ideas!
I have visited your blog many times and have enjoyed your ideas, thank you so much for your thoughts and beautiful ideas.
I look forward to your Sunday posts. I especially appreciate the connection to language and what the words mean.
I’m so glad you enjoy the Sunday posts.
Yvonne, lovely explanation of the Shema. Although I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior over 30 years ago, I was raised in the Reformed Jewish faith (my mom was Baptist and my dad was Jewish). Still today I can recite the Shema in Hebrew. It is a comfort and a reminder of my relationship with God and my Jewish heritage. It’s a prayer for Jews and Christians.
You are right, the Shama is a prayer for both Jews and Christians. Amen!
Thank you, Yvonne, for your uplifting Sunday posts. I look forward to them each week.
God Bless
Thank you Susan, I hope this post has blessed you.
Love the Lord with all your heart soul and mind. Beautiful so grateful for our Lord love this in your blog. God Bless you.
Thank you, Lynette. Have a blessed Sunday.
I Love this Post you should make the SHEMA a printable. I really like this one Yvonne.
I’m so glad. What a great idea.
As I grow older, staying in touch through prayer and reading Scripture is easier with a desire to live closer to the Lord each day. Now my prayers on my heart each day are for children and grandchildren as the things of this world are such a distraction. I need to trust Him more.
Your family will be blessed because of your prayers, Judy. I’m right there with you.
Beautifully said. Thank you for sharing nuggets of wisdom and your love for the Lord. It is always so refreshing when the body of Christ share the good news.
Amen, Ivy! Happy Sunday.