Making it Personal; Not Keeping It "Out There."
From Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 22: 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, " "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
It was Stump Jesus Day, as chapter twenty-two of Matthew shows. Questions left and right were asked of Jesus, all in an attempt to confuse Him or expose Him. It is this question that may stump us if we are not living the answer. "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus knew that answer, as He knew they did as well; "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Jesus then shared the second greatest commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And from that foundation all other laws and prophetic work can be built.
I know it is easy to keep that commandment as an "out there" ideal or principle; but in knowing and loving God, we know the commandment was given to guide us to a deeper, complete love of God. Not only should we love God with our heart, we also should not compartmentalize our love for God; every aspect of our life and being should be geared to loving God. We speak of broken hearts when we lose someone or end a relationship. We tell special persons that we love them with all our heart. We even cross our hearts and hope to die if we should be telling a lie. But do we love God with our souls and our minds? Do we yearn to know God in the depths of our being? Do we think on things that reminds us of God's love for us and in turn guide ourselves to loving God in our thinking and thoughts?
We cannot live without love for God as a personal commitment; and we cannot live without sharing that commitment we've made towards God with others. God is the source of love and our hearts, souls, and minds should receive and share that love with others. That second commandment was equally important; move beyond selfish motives and desires, and start loving others in the way we should love ourselves. What a world this would be, were this true.
Thank you for your prayers and messages to me about this devotional. I truly missed writing it and thus being in contact with you. I had a blessed and restful renewal leave. I worked hard to be able to leave for that period of time, and it makes sense to come back and discover I must work hard to make up. But, please continue to pray for me and work ever before all of us.
PRAYER: Loving God; thank You for loving us. Our prayer is that we would truly make it our desire and purpose to love You in the way You have loved us. May every aspect of my very being be in love with You, and may I truly love others the way that I love myself. I pray in the Name of He who taught us this, Jesus, my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
