My Heart’s Meditation

Matthew 22:37-38 (NKJV)

37 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Jesus in responding to a question asked of him replied that we shall love the Lord our God.  Let’s stop and ask the question; is God your Lord? Many people proclaim that God is their Lord yet their life does not reflect this. A second question comes to mind and that is this; how can you love God if He is not your Lord?  The word used for love in this passage comes from the Greek word agape. Agape was a word used to describe an act of the will.  This word is also used to describe God’s love towards the sinner. Agape is used as a verb in this text. Love is an action not a feeling. Too many people confuse love with a feeling. In the English language love can be confusing as well.  We use love in many ways. A man will say I love hot dogs. Then a few minutes later a man will tell his wife I love you. Stephen R. Covey, author of the bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, wrote “love is a value that is actualized through loving actions.” If we say we love God than our love for him should be seen in our actions not only towards Him, but also towards all men.  But Jesus doesn’t stop there but our love must be with all our heart.  The heart refers to the seat of man’s will and his affections.  Loving God is a choice a person makes.  If you are going to love God, you must choose to love God. Our love for God cannot be conditional. In other words we cannot love God when we need something from Him, or when God is blessing us. We must continue to love God despite the pain we may be experiencing, the death of a love one, the breaking- up of a relationship, the loss of a job, or a sickness which may result in our death. Why should we love God with all our heart?  I can think of three reasons. One, He first loved us. Second, while we were still in our sins Christ died for us. And thirdly nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Father may nothing be able to separate You from our love.