DAY #1: “I am the Lord”--Do you really believe in God?

The first commandment in the Old Testament, and as per Judaism, is the belief that God is the originator of all things who created this world ex nihilo: “I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” It is from this starting point that any of the commandments have relevance. 

So, do you really believe in God? Yes? Great, but that’s not enough. How do you believe in Him? Do you believe in a God that owes you something because you’re just so awesome, or does your belief have you realizing that every second of this gift called life, you owe Him. Because, you do! Do you only believe in God when your life is going well or do you know He’s there even in the depths of your agony and despair?  Because He is! Do you believe in God to the degree that you bless Him even when you feel your own life is cursed, as did Job? "God has given, God has taken, blessed be the name of God" (Job 1:21).  Do you really believe God will provide yet “safeguard” your bet by working on the Sabbath just in case He doesn’t? 

Do you believe God will close His eyes no matter how you live your life? Because if you do, then you believe in something, maybe Disneyland, but it’s certainly not God. He’s a God that corrects His creations through punishment. According to Maimonides “The 11th principle of faith is that He, the exalted one, rewards him who obeys the commands of the Torah and punishes him who transgresses its prohibitions.”   

If you believe in God, you’d believe that He is the Supreme audience in your life, the only important watcher in the show called “YOU” and the only eyes for which it is worth putting on a performance. And, as such, all your actions would take a different form and seek only His standing ovation and not the approval of all the others in your life. How do you believe in God? Do you believe He created the world and then disappeared? Because, the commandment tells us clearly, that He’s the God who took the Jews out of Egypt. He is involved in our lives. The Talmud teaches that the Almighty is so intimately involved with His creations that there is not a blade of grass that does not have an angel over it saying, “grow, grow.”   If the description above doesn’t sound like the God you believe in, then perhaps it’s time to question what exactly you do believe in as you’ve already broken the first commandment according to Jewish teachings.

(This is by no means comprehensive—just something to think about)