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How do you do it with all of your heart, soul and mind?
Written by Jesse Bradley on 17/03/2020
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Love, Soul, Heart, Mind, First
And the scribe said to Him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides Him. And to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’
Mark 12:32-33
There was a teacher of the law who asked Jesus about the greatest commandment in Scripture. Jesus responded: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37) Because Jesus said this, we need to make this command our top priority. What does it look like to live out this most important aspect of life?
God knows you, pursues you, and loves you perfectly. The starting point in living a life of love is to receive God's love. Grace is an undeserved gift. God's love is displayed through action and sacrifice. The Bible says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Jesus has paid the full price for your sins, and He is risen from the grave! Have you made a clear decision to follow Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? When you decide to follow Jesus, you are loved eternally, part of God's family, forgiven, accepted, and have eternal life and peace with God. There is reassurance in the Word of God: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Worship is a response to who God is and how much God loves us. We love God as a response and on the basis of how Jesus treats us. Worship is not compartmentalized to one location, one day, or one hour. A relationship with God is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all of eternity. Our role is to abide with Jesus and represent Him where we live, work, learn, and play. The Holy Spirit will help you at every turn of the journey. Be filled with the Holy Spirit by confessing your sins, surrendering, and asking for Him to take over. (Ephesians 5:18) We can not live the Christian life in our own strength, but we are empowered and led by the Spirit. Being secure in His love and relying on God are the keys to being ready to love God fully.
To love God with all of your heart includes your affection, attention, and devotion. Guard your heart from sins. Pour out your heart to God in prayer. Treasure Jesus more than anyone or anything else in your life. Spend time in praise and worship. Linger in God's presence and enjoy time with Him. To love God with all of your soul includes spending time listening to God, finding a church family, using your gifts and talents, embracing His priorities, and serving Him with integrity in the deepest part of your being. To love God with all of your mind includes spending time reading, listening to and meditating on Scripture. Researching the evidence of your faith and sharing the gospel with other people. It includes thinking about what is pure, noble, true and excellent during the day. Reject destructive and sinful thoughts and replace them with heavenly and gracious thoughts. Loving God is active, full and life-giving. Loving Jesus is the ultimate reason you were born. It is deeply fulfilling.
Which of these would be a next step for you?
Identify the specific way you can love God in this next season of life. Because God loves you immensely, you can both rest in Him and risk for Him too. Do not hold back or shrink back in your love for Jesus.
Dear God, thank you for loving me and caring for me. I love You. Help me take the next step to love You with all my heart, soul and mind. Amen.
What is keeping you from loving God wholeheartedly?
