The command to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, echoed by Jesus in Matthew 22:37) teaches profound lessons about putting YAH first in our lives:

1. God Desires Total Commitment
Heart: Loving God with all your heart signifies placing Him at the center of your emotions, desires, and intentions. It challenges us to ensure that our affections and decisions align with His will.
Lesson: True worship and devotion involve prioritizing God above personal preferences, relationships, or ambitions. It means making choices that reflect His values.

2. God is to Be Loved with Every Aspect of Our Being
Soul: This reflects the essence of who we are—our identity and being. Loving God with our soul calls us to live with a deep connection to Him, letting His presence shape our lives.

Lesson: It’s not enough to outwardly follow commands; our inner lives—our thoughts, feelings, and identity—must also be aligned with His purposes.

3. Strength Means Action and Effort
Loving God with all our strength points to using our abilities, resources, and energy to honor Him. This encompasses physical efforts, talents, and material possessions.

Lesson: Love for God isn’t just an abstract feeling; it requires practical action. Serving others, obeying His Word, and stewarding what He has given us demonstrate our love.

4. God Must Be Our First Priority
This verse places God above everything else—family, career, success, or self. When He is first, everything else falls into its proper place.
Lesson: Putting YAH first requires trust. It challenges us to let go of control and believe that when we honor Him above all, He will provide and guide us.

5. Love is the Foundation of Obedience
Loving God fully leads naturally to obeying His commandments. When our hearts are captivated by His goodness and greatness, obedience becomes a joy, not a burden.
Lesson: Our actions must flow from a genuine love for God, not from a sense of duty or fear.

6. Devotion to God is Holistic
The repetition of “all” (all your heart, all your soul, all your strength) emphasizes that there is no part of life where God should be excluded.
Lesson: Putting YAH first means integrating Him into every area—family, work, hobbies, finances, and relationships. There’s no “compartment” of life where He isn’t Lord.

7. Our Love for God Sets the Tone for Other Relationships
When we love God with everything, His love flows through us to others. This creates healthy, godly relationships based on His principles.
Lesson: Prioritizing God helps us love others well, as His love shapes how we serve, forgive, and live in community.

Application:
To live out this verse, consider practical ways to put YAH first:

Start your day with prayer and Scripture to align your heart with His.

Let your decisions be guided by God’s Word.
Use your talents and energy for His glory, not just personal gain.

Regularly reflect on areas of your life where He might not yet be first and surrender those to Him.
By loving Him with all we are and all we have, we make Him the foundation of everything in our lives.