Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Did you know there's over 600 mosaic laws in the Old Testament? Over 600. Can you imagine having to follow that all the time? Here we find our Verse of the Day today, Jesus being asked what is the most important law of all in the Old Testament. Jesus, our Savior, the Son of God, is being asked, what's the greatest commandment of over 600 commandments? What's the greatest? We're on the edge of our seats. Here's what He has to say. His response in Matthew chapter 22, verse 37 says, "Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'" That's it. You probably know that He goes on to say the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. Let's take a pause for a second.
Love With All Your Heart
When Jesus talks about love the Lord your God with all—imagine the first time that you felt this way in your heart and you felt overwhelmed when you said to someone, "I love you with all my heart." What were you saying in that moment? There is no one on earth that I have any room in my heart for, except for you.
Now let's take this command that Jesus talks about. Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. If you're loving Him with all, what room do we have for anyone else? The beauty of what Jesus is saying in this context is when He talks about love your neighbor as yourself after loving God with all, it is similar to a coffee mug or a t-shirt that I've seen before that said, "Rule number one: I'm always right. Rule number two: if you ever have any questions, refer back to rule number one." It seems a little arrogant for someone to have that. If you know someone that has it, I'm so sorry, but the beauty of what Jesus is saying is if you're struggling with loving your neighbor as yourself, refer back to rule number one: Love the Lord your God with all.
The Foundation of Loving Others
It's so easy nowadays to say love your neighbor. We should just love our neighbor. It's so important—that's why Jesus took time to say the number one most important command is love the Lord your God with all. Why? Because that now will drive the way we love those around us. It will now dictate unconditional love like God shows to us, but also it's mirrored with the coupling of love with His truth. We can't separate those two.
That's why if you're struggling with loving in your relationships, loving with those around you, what's very important is actually to take time and say, am I loving God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind? Because if I do, that will be an outpouring into those around me and into my neighbor. Do I actually look at them the same way because of the love that I have for God?
When Love Consumes Us
The unconditional, all-consuming, loving God with all—that kind of love should change us to love others differently. It should also consume us to the point that, if we love God truly with all, His presence drives our thoughts, our associations, the way we behave, our desires, and our actions. It's what consumes us because we love Him with all.
I would just ask you to take some time today. Fall in love with your first love of Jesus again. Take some time to love Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. Just like we did when we said, "I love you with all my heart" to someone in a relationship, share that with Him. Find ways to make it even special today to demonstrate your love for Him by loving Him with all.
