Ella McDermott
Today’s Scripture: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.’” – Matthew 22:37-38, ESV
Theme: We were created for relationships, and a relationship with God in particular.
LOOK UP
Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or both, you may have found yourself in a similar predicament. You desire better, deeper relationships with others—with your spouse, children, parents, friends, and co-workers—but the attempts you’ve made to pursue them haven’t always yielded the desired outcomes. You and your spouse got caught up in the same argument, again. Your child still insists on doing the exact opposite of what you asked them to do. Your parents continue to give you advice you didn’t want; and sometimes, your friends do that, too.
I promise, you aren’t crazy—but neither are the people we most often struggle to love. Naturally, there will be tension and friction in all our relationships. But the key to navigating them isn’t found in ourselves. In order to improve the “horizontal” relationships in our lives, we must begin with our “vertical” relationship with the Father. We must look up before we look around, because our relationship with God serves as a foundation for everything else.
THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
Scripture has a lot to say about relationships—but altogether, it says more about man’s relationship with God than with any other being. Do you know why? When asked, “What is the greatest commandment from the Law?” Jesus responds with this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment” (Matthew 22:36-38, ESV). To the group he was addressing at the time—the Pharisees—this wasn’t new information, but a reminder. Having prided themselves in religious works, they sought to “catch” Jesus by asking him difficult questions pertaining to the Mosaic Law. Rightfully, Jesus reminds them that the greatest commandment has nothing to do with performative works or offerings—and it has everything to do with complete devotion to the Father.
In Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV), the Israelites are told the same thing: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” This applies to present-day believers as well. Before we commit to loving others, we must begin with a deep desire to love God with our whole being. Why? “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16, ESV). You were created by God, for God. Your relationship with Him isn’t simply a suggestion—it is necessary to fulfill all that you were created to do. By design, you are meant to love God and glorify Him above all other things.
CAST OFF EVERY WEIGHT AND SIN
As we know, our sin and flesh compete with our desire to love God. But the Good News is that Christ has made a way for us to live in our God-given purpose by exchanging our sin for His righteousness. We are able to know God—and know Him intimately—because Christ has reconciled us to the Father, through Himself: “For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20, ESV).
The way into a deep, wholly satisfying relationship with God is found in Christ alone. You need not strive to enter into His presence, because Jesus has already given you access. In addition to creating you for Himself, God has provided you with the means to fulfill your purpose through His Son. Knowing this, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV).
There is nothing more worthy of your complete devotion than our Father. Don’t give yourself over to other pursuits that would draw your heart away from Him. Instead, cast off every weight and sin for the purpose of knowing Him and loving Him with all your heart, mind, and soul.
Make It Personal: Are there any pursuits in your life that keep you from loving God with your whole being? Consider where your thoughts tend to linger, what you talk about most often, and how your discretionary time is spent. Often, the answers to these questions can help us identify what (or who) competes with God for our attention—and His rightful place in our hearts.
Pray: Father, I confess to not always loving You with all my heart, mind, and soul. The cares of this world often consume me. But I thank You for Jesus, in whom I have been set free and made righteous before You. Please help me identify whatever weights or sins keep me from pursuing You with my whole heart. Give me the endurance to fulfill my purpose, which is to love You and glorify You above all other things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 63:1-8; John 14:8-11; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 12:1-2