Matthew 22:34-38

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?

 Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  This is the first and greatest commandment.

Love God

In preparing for some future speaking engagements, the heart of my message always comes back to this: Love God.  I know what many of you are thinking.  “Come on- that lesson’s already been done, sister.  I’ve heard it all my life.  Seriously? You are going to write about loving God?”  Yes.  I am most serious about it.  Because more and more I understand that loving God: actively seeking Him, spending time with Him, talking to Him and listening to Him, is what He desires most from me- from all of us. 

It’s important to Him.  Jesus said so!

When I mention to people in conversation that I believe the most important task for us as Christians is to love God, I get one of three responses.  The first is that though loving God is important, staying in His will is what we must do.  The second is that we must surrender our lives to Him.  The third is that if we are really followers of Christ, we must serve Him.  My answer to all these responses is to repeat my first point, which is to love God.  Loving God is the prerequisite to all those other “important” items.  We can’t possibly expect to know His will, surrender our lives to Him or serve Him, without actively loving Him. 

Conversely, I am learning that when I love Him- that is to say, when I spend time with Him, reading His word, worshiping, sharing my heart with Him, getting to know Him, then I can trust Him to guide me in the “paths of righteousness”, (Psalm 23:3) or put another way, His will.   In loving Him, surrendering to Him becomes easy, because I understand He has wonderful plans for me.  Why would I not want to trust Him with my life?  Finally, serving Him becomes an every day reality.  When I am close to Him, He is able to work through me in ways I never imagined, and I understand it is not me- but Him doing the work. 

It is easy for us to get wrapped up in all the “things” we, as Christians, need to do.  I hear it all the time:  “I know I should be doing more for God.” Or “I’m ashamed at how little I have done for Him.”  Fellow followers of Christ, God’s love for you is great.  He longs to hear from you, to speak to you through His word and the Holy Spirit, and to give you guidance.  He desires for you to have joy and to be the person He created you to be.  If you really desire to do His will, trust Him with your life, and serve Him, then go to Him.  Spend time with Him, read the word, get to know Him, listen for His voice.  In short: Love Him.  He will take care of the rest.    ©2014JanetCarolDavis


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