Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV
This famous commandment was given to the Israelites by Moses as directed by the voice and word of God. According to Jesus Christ, it is the most important of all the commandments. When asked by a scribe to give the greatest commandment, Jesus quoted this scripture in Mark 12:29-30. The scripture teaches that God is one. That is to say, God is sovereign, the one supreme ruler over all creation.
But what does it mean to love the Lord our God with everything we have? First, it means that we show undivided love and devotion to our Father in heaven. Unlike the polytheistic religions of the pagans who worship multiple gods and even the creation itself, God desires that we worship him and him alone. We do not worship material such as money or man made idols. We do not adore other created beings or mythological figures. Instead, we love the Lord our God alone, the Creator of all things.
Keep My Commandments
To prove our love for God, we keep his commandments. Christ says to his disciples in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments. WEB” Exodus 20:3-4 gives the first two commandments of the ten commandments saying, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. WEB” To love the Lord our God, we place him first above all other considerations.
Finally, to love the Lord our God, we repent from sin, turning from sin in obedience to the will of God. Loving God means having a daily and constant relationship with him. We love him as he loves us, always and without hesitation. Loving God, we trust in his correction and direction for our lives. This means opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit of God for guidance. In our daily walk with the Lord, we strive to understand the fullness of his will. We seek the Lord in prayer, studying his word and striving to apply it to our lives.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the guidance of scripture. Thank you for revealing yourself through your word. Give me wisdom to apply the lessons I learn to do your will with my life. Help me to love as you love. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: If Your Brother Sins
