Loving God- DAY ONE

Now if Jesus gives this response and expands on it to describe the kind of love He means, then we need to understand what it means to love God in the manner He is mentioning.  To love God with all our heart, our soul and our mind is pretty inclusive, wouldn't you say?  I would say that it would mean that our love for Him should be our best, our most fervent, our most dedicated, and be our highest priority.  There is mentioned a kind love that comes from "our heart, from our soul, and our mind."  These are distinct aspects or portions of our life that join together and become a love that God deserves.  Let's talk about those aspects.

One aspect represents a portion that comes from our deepest feelings (heart).  This is our affection for God, and it comes from the deepest part of our being.  Another aspect comes from an intellectual determination to love God more than other people or things (mind).  This portion establishes a priority to love God.  It is our choice to make.  God doesn't demand our love.  It must be our choice to give it.  Finally, there is the aspect that represents our inner man that will live with God for eternity (soul).  This aspect is a love with a long-term commitment.  We've heard of a "lifetime commitment."  This is an eternal commitment, for the soul of man lives for eternity.  This love endures, perseveres and is rewarded for its faithfulness to our King because it takes the long view.  These types of love represent the internal, external and eternal aspects of our life.  They are the best we have to give God.

The description Jesus gives for loving God like He describes challenges the love we have for the false gods that we have allowed in our life, and is a reminder of our disconnect with our Creator.  Although love for God described like this becomes an indictment of our failure to give the Lover of our Soul the best love we have, it also becomes an indication of why our life has gotten so out of whack.  I believe there is a healthy rhythm that comes to our life if it is tuned in with the Holy Spirit.  We get in harmony with Him through our love for God and His love for us.  You see, when we love God in a manner befitting Him, then His love that has been waiting for a landing place in our life finds entry and we then understand what was missing in our life.

This next week I want us to understand better the depth of love we are called to give God, and to receive from Him.  He is loving you and me right now more than we can understand.  Therefore, I want to introduce some passages and thoughts for you to consider, and hopefully you will understand what you are missing and how to find it.