Matt 22:37

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?

Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment.

When I hear that phrase, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”, I take pause. If Jesus had simply said “Love the Lord your God”, I might not have noticed, but when he continues on and stresses that this love for God should be with all of our heart, soul, and mind, that is making a profound statement.

What does it mean to love God that much? Sure, God is our creator, but he’s also like a far off grandfather that we’ve heard a lot about but have yet to truly meet. I mean, if you were dating someone who was far away, that you had never seen and who never wrote back, wouldn’t that be a bit of a lackluster relationship? And yet the words of Jesus are as clear as ever: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”.

While I can’t give a cut and dry answer to this question, here are some thoughts, some things to consider, some ways we might love God.

Jesus says that when we feed the poor and befriend the lonely, we are doing these things unto him. While quite poetic, I think we all feel the underlying truth here. The next time you give to a soup kitchen, remember that in loving the less fortunate, you are also loving God in a profound way. (Matt 25:34-46)

Often times we perceive prayer as asking God for favors, but prayer can be much broader than this. Simply spending time with God, sharing our sorrows, chatting, being thankful, and being joyful, can nurture what feels like a personal bond. In my mind’s eye I see a loving God that craves our attention and even affection. The Bible goes so far as to use the word “Jealous” (Exodus 20:5) when referring to God if not to underscore how much he desires relationship with us. The next time you’re laying in bed and your mind turns to God with a thankful heart, realize that in doing this you are loving your heavenly creator.

Say you’re at school one day and a friend excitedly shares a big secret. It’s so big and lofty that you’re tempted to hold it with suspicion, but your friend asks you to just trust them. In the end, it turns out to be true, and your relationship is strengthened. I feel like in sending us Jesus, God has shared a big secret with us, and while we have our times of doubt, the child-like faith that we place in Jesus must bring tremendous joy to God. The point is this: Through faith we love.

Although Jesus emphasized the fundamentals, he also said that he didn’t come to abolish the law. God’s commandments were spoken in love that we might save ourselves from the anguish of sin. Although it might seem odd, God’s advice to us is like a gift. When we our obedient, when we allow our stubborn will to be shaped by the hands of God, we are in fact loving God.

Finally, I would like to suggest that love, and more specifically, our love for God, is an attitude that we can wear. In almost everything we do, there can be an element of giving back, of trust, obedience, and simply of acting in community with God that must bring our heavenly creator unspeakable joy.