How do you follow the Great Commandment to “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind?” As I pondered that question I was taken back to young love... not just my own, but the dozens of "love birds" I have witnessed through the years. I'm not sure that is love at all, because it is based primarily on feelings and worse... our own feelings! But, none the less... it was my first thoughts on love as a young gal. Maybe there is something in that first encounter that can steer us toward a better understanding of totally loving God....
Remember when your heart was first smitten and your heart
beat was aligned with… him? All your
plans revolved around him and you
wouldn’t even think of making plans with anyone else on your traditional Friday
night date night! Why, because you loved him with all your heart!
Maybe there were some compromises in your values or some
relationships that got pushed aside because he
was all that really mattered to you. You would do anything to make your
time together unforgettable so that he would
know that he was the most important
person in your life. All because you loved him
with all your heart and soul.
He was on your
mind all the time… even when you should have been focused on other
responsibilities. You couldn’t think of anything else but him and all your thoughts were about the bright future ahead of
you… with him. Why? You loved him
with all your heart, soul and mind!
He… may be an
ancient memory and life has moved you on. But, you remember all those feelings.
So, what if you loved God like that?
- Your plans would all revolve around making sure there would be time for HIM
- Your choices would all be based on wanting HIM to know that HE was your one and only
- Your every thought would revolve around HIM and the plan HE created had for your life.
Wow… that’s something to think about!
That first love... for me... became my only love. On Monday, it will be 41 years since he first help my hand at Lakeside Park and I knew we would be a forever "we." Not because I was mature, wise or ready for a commitment of any kind, but because it "felt" right. After 3 years of dating and 38 years of marriage I have learned much about a committed relationship and that love is much more than a feeling... because feelings change, but a commitment is just that... a commitment to make time for each other, honor each other and include each other in all areas of our lives.
Maybe the beginning of knowing how to love God well is learning to love each other unselfishly. Or maybe loving God well is what makes us better able to love each other completely. Either way... learning to love well makes us better and the world around us so much better! Let's do it!
"Lord, help us to understand what it means to love you and help us to submit to the transformation that needs to take place in our hearts, so that our love is truly selfless."
"Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul
and with all your mind
. ... and the second command is like it
... Love your neighbor as yourself..."
Matthew 22:37-39
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