heart, soul, mind, strength.

Wrote this for my home church in reflecting on Christ's life and death this week.

Many of us are familiar with the Great Commandment.  When Jesus is asked in the last week of his life which commandment is most important, he responds with, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall 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: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these,” (Mark 12:29-31).  In this simple and profound statement I find great encouragement.  Christ is communicating that with Him, things are changing.  In reflecting on the Old Testament and the old law, we find several commandments.  This law was meant to show us our sin, to show the depth of our depravity before the Father.  It was a law that could not be fulfilled by any person in history—until Christ came down in the flesh and lived a perfect and holy life.  And what was his gift to us?  Himself.  Above all, He is asking us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.  The other commandments have not disappeared, but our motivation has changed.  When we are seeking to know and love God more, obedience flows from a heart of praise to Him.  We are not perfect, but we are being renewed to see and delight in the Lord, causing us to live lives pleasing to Him.  Thus, our religion is not based on all we must do, but what Christ has done and is doing in us.  This is a great and wonderful truth!  Meditate today on the gift of God and think on what it means to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.