The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:34-40

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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Greetings my Beloved!

I hope you are having a wonderful week. This is the week of love, and what is more beautiful than the Father's love for us. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This scripture never gets old. It is so true; it is only through the Father's love that we can have salvation. Last night at the pregnancy center, my client told me her mother was Christian and her father, Catholic. Because of this she wished to stay away from religion altogether. This saddened me. I explained to her that religion is not based on your parents. Would you want a surgeon's son to operate on you? Not because he's a surgeon, but because his father's a surgeon, using only his father's credentials? We need to seek our own hearts to seek what are we basing our Christianity on - our parents, pastors, other people? People will only let you down. How sad it is that we quickly turn to others, and put other things in front of God. God wants nothing more than for us to be fully devoted to Him.

So, what is the greatest commandment? God sacrificed His son for us, and all He asks in return is for our love. What are we willing to sacrifice for God? Our home? Our jobs? What about our family? It reminds me of the rich man who wants to enter into the kingdom of heaven:

Mark 10:18-22

Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

I ask you again, what are you willing to sacrifice for God? How will you show God how much you love Him? What does it mean to you to love the Lord your God with all of your heart? I challenge you to seek in your heart to see if it is fully devoted to God, or are there other things pulling you away from loving the Lord your God with all of your heart? I don't normally participate in lent, since we left the Methodist church, but I am feeling a tug at my heart to go into a season of fasting and prayer. During this season, I am going to seek for the Lord to purify my heart. I want nothing more than to reflect God's holiness, and I know this can only be achieved through purification.