One of the teachers of the law came and... asked [Jesus], “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” "The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘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 mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:29-31
If you can get this one thing right, then everything else will fall into place. If you can fall madly, passionately in love with God, then everything else in your spiritual walk will eventually work itself out. I have often prayed and continue to pray on a regular basis that God will help me love Him more. I even pray that He would woo me and cause me to fall more deeply in love with Him. Now that may sound strange but Scripture often uses romance as an analogy for our relationship to God (Isaiah 62:5, Jeremiah 2:1-4:4, Hosea 2, Matthew 9:14-17, Revelation 19:6-9, many believe that the Song of Solomon is an extended metaphor to this point.). It even goes so far as to call the body of believers the bride of Christ. So, as a bride in training, let me ask you, how in love with God are you?
Notice what Christ asks of you- heart, soul, mind, and strength. That doesn't leave a lot of room for you to run after other lovers. God expects of us what any good spouse does, total faithfulness. Yet, we often find ourselves putting other "loves" ahead of Him. Consider how you spend your time. How much of your time does the Lord get in a given day or week? What is it that you spend more time on?
I encourage you (at the same time as I encourage myself) to check the status of your heart. What do you love more than God? What interests in your life have begun to dethrone your heavenly Father as first priority? Is it your beauty? Is it your spouse, or your child, TV, sports, music, or friends? Return to your first love today (Revelation 2:4). Cling to Him and love Him. Pursue Him with all that you have and ask Him to reveal Himself to you and to help you fall for Him again.
So take a moment right now to spend with your God. Sit quietly and contemplate His might. Or serenade Him with the praises that He deserves (perhaps you could sing your favorite worship song). Open His Word and remind yourself of His goodness. No moment spent in prayer, or worship, or adoration of your Lord is wasted. Give Him all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength. Renew your vows. Take a moment and love God.
For further reading...
- I Corinthians 13- If I do not have love...
- Revelation 2:1-7- Have you forsaken your first love?
- Hosea 2- Meet Him in the wilderness (see verse 14).
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