June 2, 2015
Let’s cut to the chase: what really matters the most? The answer is both simple and profound. Anyone can understand it, but putting it in practice can, and will, take a lifetime.
“ 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’ " (Matthew 22:37-40)
It all comes down to the Big Two: wholehearted love for Creator God, and selfless love for our neighbor. If we make these our great priority, all else will fall into place. Love the Creator, and love His creation. Both are inseparably bound: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” (1 John 4.20-21)
Honestly, it would be easier if these two commandments weren’t linked. God is easy enough to love. He blesses us always, and is never irritating. Not so with fellow humans. Imperfect people have trouble getting along together. Idiosyncrasies sometimes drive us nuts. Perhaps the faults and flaws in others remind us of our own, which we would rather not face. And, some personality types just don’t play well together. Loving others is … well, messy and inconvenient.
The amazing pattern of Jesus inspires us to the best of both great commandments, which are really one commandment. He often retreated from the busyness of life for a night of communion and prayer with His father (i.e., Mark 1.35). But, he never seemed to retreat from compassion for hurting people: “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9.36)
Loving God and loving people is impossible through human effort. We will inevitably fail to pray and commune as we ought. We will be impatient with and judgmental of others. We will fall facedown time and again in trying to do what God requires. But, the life of discipline and love is cultivated through the life of the Spirit within. The solution isn’t so much, ’try harder,' but, ‘yield more’. Let the power and life of the resurrected Christ within stir up real love, and a true desire for what matters most.
Loving God, and loving others. It won’t come naturally, but it will come supernaturally. That supernatural enabling will draw us into true intimacy with our Creator, and His Christ, and will become a well of compassion within from which we serve, build up, and share the precious gospel with others.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
“ 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’ " (Matthew 22:37-40)
It all comes down to the Big Two: wholehearted love for Creator God, and selfless love for our neighbor. If we make these our great priority, all else will fall into place. Love the Creator, and love His creation. Both are inseparably bound: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” (1 John 4.20-21)
Honestly, it would be easier if these two commandments weren’t linked. God is easy enough to love. He blesses us always, and is never irritating. Not so with fellow humans. Imperfect people have trouble getting along together. Idiosyncrasies sometimes drive us nuts. Perhaps the faults and flaws in others remind us of our own, which we would rather not face. And, some personality types just don’t play well together. Loving others is … well, messy and inconvenient.
The amazing pattern of Jesus inspires us to the best of both great commandments, which are really one commandment. He often retreated from the busyness of life for a night of communion and prayer with His father (i.e., Mark 1.35). But, he never seemed to retreat from compassion for hurting people: “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9.36)
Loving God and loving people is impossible through human effort. We will inevitably fail to pray and commune as we ought. We will be impatient with and judgmental of others. We will fall facedown time and again in trying to do what God requires. But, the life of discipline and love is cultivated through the life of the Spirit within. The solution isn’t so much, ’try harder,' but, ‘yield more’. Let the power and life of the resurrected Christ within stir up real love, and a true desire for what matters most.
Loving God, and loving others. It won’t come naturally, but it will come supernaturally. That supernatural enabling will draw us into true intimacy with our Creator, and His Christ, and will become a well of compassion within from which we serve, build up, and share the precious gospel with others.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
posted by steve @ 8:59 AM
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