The Greatest Commandment


Matthew 22:37 (NIV)
“Jesus answered, “Love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Jesus said that this is the first and greatest commandment. How many times do we break this commandment each and every day? Think about when you have experienced love. The love you have for your kids, parents, friends, family, and how about when you first “fell in love” with your spouse. I remember falling in love with my spouse. I sacrificed my time and money, I spent every waking moment I could with her, and I would go anywhere and do anything that she wanted me to do. That is the love we need for God, but on a purer level. We should want to spend our time with him, and do whatever he tells us to do.

My thoughts were enamored by my spouse when we first met. Loving God with all of our mind may come as a struggle, because if we love God with all of our mind, every thought would be pure. He would be on our mind all of the time, whether it be doing his will, praying, thinking about scripture, or singing his praises. Every decision we make and every action we take, we would be thinking about God and what his will would be in that situation. So in following this commandment we should be “obsessed” with God. Our every thought, action, and desire should involve God.

Challenge: Evaluate yourself. Are you “obsessed” with God? Or are you really just “lukewarm?” Do you love God? Or do you have halfhearted feelings towards him?

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 (NIV)

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