He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 NABRE
Jesus is asked which commandment of the law is the greatest. He responds by citing the love commandments of Deuteronomy 6:5 “Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.” and Leviticus 19:18 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” These are known as the “Greatest Commandments” and they sum up all the commandments. By following these two commandments, all the other commandments will be followed as well. These two commandments spell out the highest obligation of every person; loving the Lord with the combined strength of your heart, soul and mind. It is not a love that simply demands affection or emotion but a commandment to keep the Lord’s covenant. The second commandment calls us to love our neighbor with the same solicitude which we care for our own needs. Jesus came so that we would love God and love others. It is rather easy to capture as a statement but quite difficult to actually live. The two are related, if we love God than naturally we will want to love his children. Jesus later says we must love one another as He has loved us, His love gives everything for us.
We likely have never loved anyone as Jesus has loved us. Jesus put us before Himself; He feeds us before He eats, He shelters us before He has a place, He clothes us while He is still naked, and He is born and dies for us, giving all He has so we can live free. Jesus shows the commandments go two ways, we are to love God and love others, and God also loves us and loves others as well.
Do you love others? Do you put others before yourself?
Jesus shows the commandments go two ways, we are to love God and love others, and God also loves us and loves others as well. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity#dailybibleverse @youversion#BeAnEncourager #love #greatest#Matthew #everybodyalways #god#jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood#dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture#bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray#prayer #goodnews #loveeachother#godisgreat #thisVineyard#youversion #everythingalways