The Greatest Commandment
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
At a family gathering over the holiday, one of the children announced, “I love the truck I got for Christmas more than anything in the whole world!” He thought about it for a moment then added, “At least till my birthday and I get something better.”
When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment, He gave a very familiar answer. It was a part of Scripture that most of His listeners would have known by heart. Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-5). Some, though, might have been surprised to hear this described as “the greatest commandment.”
When you think about it, what does it mean to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”? It can be an intimidating question.
We can diminish the meaning of love when we view it as simply an emotion or feeling, and therefore subject to change. We can say that we love a cherished possession (until it breaks, or we get something better). We may love someone because they are kind to us and make us feel good. “Love” is often simply a positive feeling based on my current circumstances. Love is more than that; it is a decision of the will to act in light of a deep, abiding concern and affection for our beloved.
When the Bible places “loving God” in the context of a command, it becomes the galvanizing force (strength) for not only how we feel about God (heart) but inspires our thoughts about Him (mind) and stimulates our desires for Him (soul). Loving God motivates our every decision and empowers our very lives.
Each of these words (heart, soul, mind, strength) can be explored as to “how” we love God, but I think the collective meaning is the greater lesson. We are not to love God with only part of ourselves, but are to measure every thought, emotion, feeling, word, and action in light of our desire to please and honor Him. We are to pursue our love for Him in every aspect of daily life, with all that we are.
I was listening to a podcast today and the comment was made that God is the Creator of all things, who shines through all things. So, when we enjoy a wonderful meal, we can celebrate the Creator Who gave us the ability to taste delicious food. When we listen to our favorite music, our emotions are engaged and we marvel at the Creator of hearing and music. We rejoice in the love of family and friends and thank God for the ability to give and receive love. All these good things we love are signs and symbols of God’s love, and point us to love the One who created them. We can grow in loving God first, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength as we see God, appreciate Him and love Him in and through all things.
We can trust that God, through His Holy Spirit is indeed teaching us every day to love God!
Father God, help us to love You with every part of our being. In Jesus’ name, Amen.