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.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)
Love. What is it? The concept of love is so difficult to define, in any specific manner. It is always applied in specific circumstances to specific desires. We might “love” a car, but that is a different love than our love for spouse or children. We might “love” our careers, but that is a different love than we have for our hobbies or vacation spots. Love is specific.
Love. How do we love with all our hearts? Total commitment. Total surrender. No strings or conditions attached. This quality of love becomes a spiritual issue. Our love is entwined with our soul. This quality of love involves our mental expressions. Our thoughts and imaginations get involved, when we truly love someone.
Love. Why would God deem it necessary to “command” us to love himself or anyone else? It seems to me that “love” is a natural output of appreciation and gratitude and blessing (Luke 6:32-33). No! This “love” is a concept that is replete with contradictions. Love of neighbor as ourselves. Love our enemies. Love those who hate us and despitefully abuse us.
It seems that God expects us to love those who are dear to us. That is the natural side of love. And he expects us to love as he loves. That quality of love comes only from God. It begins in him and proceeds from him. The only way to get this quality of love is to receive it from him. And we receive it from him by loving him with all our hearts, our souls and our minds.
Dear Father, thank you for loving us and giving us salvation through Jesus Christ. Empower us to love as you command us to love. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be strong and courageous today loving totally,