ALL OF YOU FOR ALL OF HIM
Kyle Laws
Today’s Scripture: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5, ESV
Theme: The Shema, a faith-affirming Jewish prayer recited every day, reminds God’s people who He is and of the first and greatest commandment.
ONE GOD
When Moses spoke these words, the surrounding nations worshiped a variety of gods, each with its own domain. There was a god for fertility, a god for rain, and a god for war. But Israel’s God is different. He is the one true God, creator of all things, and ruler over every aspect of life - there is no other god besides Him. “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5a, ESV). If we believe God is truly the only God, then our trust should be placed entirely in Him. We are invited to let go of the false gods of control, reputation, comfort, or anything else that competes for our loyalty. He is sovereign over all things; we can rest in His power, even when circumstances seem unfavorable.
WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Loving God with all your heart means He becomes the ultimate desire that shapes every other desire. It’s not just about feeling affection for Him; it’s about aligning your will, decisions, and priorities with His. It also means weeding out competing loves or anything that we value more highly than Him; loving God with all your heart calls us to surrender them so He can reign fully within. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV). If your heart is wounded and you leave it exposed, bitterness will leak into your words. Think of your heart as a spring of water. If you let trash, poison, or bitterness fall into it, the flow downstream will be toxic; if you protect it, keep it pure, and fill it with God’s truth, life will pour out to others.
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL
Loving God with all your soul is not just about what you feel, but who you are. It is surrendering your identity, your sense of worth, and your purpose to Him. It’s the difference between knowing about God and belonging to God. When you love Him with all your soul, your life is intertwined with His life, and your story becomes part of His story. Many of us tie our sense of self to achievements, relationships, or possessions, but these can fade or be taken away in an instant. True identity is found in God. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25, ESV). Trust that our truest life is found in Him, not in what the world offers. Think of a river that “loses” its water into the ocean, yet in that surrender, it becomes part of something vast and boundless!
WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT
We can sometimes limit our love for God to private devotions or Sunday worship, but God calls for a love that spills into the rest of the week. Loving Him with all our might means our work, conversations, service, and even our rest become opportunities to glorify Him. It’s actively using the life and resources He has given us to build His kingdom, help others, and live in a way that points people to Him. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23, ESV). This is a reminder that God is our true audience. Whether in ministry, parenting, or serving, bring all of your energy and enthusiasm to the task, not because people are watching, but because God is worthy. Serving God with all your might is planting seeds of life everywhere you go, even when no one sees.
Make It Personal: Notice what pulls at your attention each day. Your worries, goals, and habits reveal what shapes your heart. Bring these to God and ask Him to be first. Loving Him fully isn’t about effort; it’s letting Him guide your desires, your identity, and your actions. Take a quiet moment to invite His Spirit in. Where there is distraction, let Him bring focus. Where there is fear, let Him bring peace. His love is not a burden but a freedom – the freedom to belong wholly to the one God who made you.
Pray: Lord, You alone are God. There is none besides You. Teach me to love You with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my might. Remove the distractions that divide my devotion and help me to live every moment in the light of Your greatness. Let my thoughts, identity, and actions be wholly Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Read: Matthew 22:36–38; Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 119:34, 111:1
Weekly Memory Verse: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2, ESV