Week 4
If God’s main goal is to bring us into relationship with him, then our main goal as his followers
is to invite others into this relationship by loving them with God’s love. This was made very
clear when Jesus was approached by a teacher of the law who asked him what the greatest
commandment was.
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
[37] Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
[37] Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
God called Abraham to start a family that would be a blessing to the whole world. Through
Moses, God brought that nation of Israel out of slavery. God then gave them 10 Commandments
to live by so that they would know how to live with him and each other.
When asked which is the greatest commandment of the 10, Jesus said it was to love God totally and completely. And then by adding a second commandment, he said we can follow all of them by just simply following these two: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. All of the Bible is summed up in these two simple, yet very challenging commands. They are so challenging that it takes us a lifetime, no matter how long or short that may be, to continue to learn them. Yet the closer we get to God’s heart, the easier and harder it gets – he helps us, yet we are called to love more deeply.
The good news is that God’s love for us is not dependent on our love for him and others. His love for us never changes. There is nothing we can do to make him live us more, and there is nothing we can do to make him love us less. He loves us out of his pure love and calls us to love out of that live he has for us. In the Father’s house we find this kind of love. In the world, we find opportunities to share it and work for God’s kingdom.
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.
When asked which is the greatest commandment of the 10, Jesus said it was to love God totally and completely. And then by adding a second commandment, he said we can follow all of them by just simply following these two: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. All of the Bible is summed up in these two simple, yet very challenging commands. They are so challenging that it takes us a lifetime, no matter how long or short that may be, to continue to learn them. Yet the closer we get to God’s heart, the easier and harder it gets – he helps us, yet we are called to love more deeply.
The good news is that God’s love for us is not dependent on our love for him and others. His love for us never changes. There is nothing we can do to make him live us more, and there is nothing we can do to make him love us less. He loves us out of his pure love and calls us to love out of that live he has for us. In the Father’s house we find this kind of love. In the world, we find opportunities to share it and work for God’s kingdom.
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.