If we are to live as God wants us to live, we need to know His Word. Study His Word and you will soon understand what God says. In His Word, He reveals Himself in all His fullness. He reveals who we are and why we need a Savior. He clearly presents the gospel of Jesus Christ, showing us how to be saved. He teaches us all we need to know about living a life of righteousness; about becoming Christlike. He tells us how to live right toward our fellow believers and how to reach out in love to those who do not yet know Christ.
Let's take a closer look at Matthew 22:37-39. Jesus said to a lawyer in answer to his question as to which commandment is the greatest, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Notice what God says in these three verses. He begins by speaking about our relationship with Himself. We are to love Him intensely. Our overwhelming desire should be to know God and to let nothing get in the way of our love for Him. And things do tend to get in the way.
Work can get in the way. Try to find a solution that will allow you to keep your job and yet be allowed the time to worship at church. There are usually ways to work something out with most employers. Perhaps rotating Sundays or switching day and night hours. Pray about it and check it out. This is vital for growing your relationship with the Lord.
Your family can get in the way. Oh, maybe they don't intend to, but they can get in the way. They sometimes have a way of planning family gatherings early on a Sunday, causing you to miss worship. Talk with them. Let them know that you do not want to miss church and that it is alright to start without you. You will join them after church and eat when you get there. They will understand. They may even begin to start the family gatherings a little later, allowing whoever wants to attend church to do so.
When you love the Lord "with all your heart" (v. 37a) you will not let anything get in the way of worship, prayer, reading God's Word, or anything else that helps you draw close to the Lord. It is your life. As a Christian, your walk with the Lord Jesus should never be compromised. When you love Him "with all your heart" (v. 37a) you will let nothing stand in the way.
To love God "with all your soul" (v. 37b) indicates the depth to which your love for Him goes. We are to love Him from the very depths of our being, with all we are. Everything about us should scream, "I love Jesus above all else!" Who else is there like Jesus? No one! No one even compares to Him. So why put anyone ahead of Jesus? Nothing else compares to Him. So why put anything ahead of Jesus?
When you let nothing get in the way of your love for God and you let that love flow from the very depths of your being, then you will keep your mind stayed on Him. Isaiah said, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Is. 26:3). That is what it means to love the Lord "with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37c).
Your focus is always on Jesus. He is on your mind every morning. He is on your mind at bedtime. He is on your mind throughout the day. Every day, all the time, we are "fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 12:2, NASB). If you want to keep your life on track, that is what you do, how you live. You keep your eyes focused on Jesus and listen to what He says. He will guide you in incredible ways.
The second great commandment deals with our love for one another: "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:39). In what ways do you love yourself? You take care of yourself. You bathe, keeping yourself clean and as germ-free as possible. You groom and dress to look your best and to feel your best. You keep food on the table and make sure to remain healthy. You keep a roof over your head and maintain reliable transportation. At times, even recreation or a hobby is important to keep our minds fresh. But most importantly, we seek to maintain our daily walk with Jesus.
That is exactly how you should treat others. If they need food or clothing or a place to stay, you help with what they need. Help them get the care and medicine they need when they are sick. Suggest ways to relax when they are overstressed. But above all, introduce them to Jesus. Help unbelieving neighbors find Jesus and help believers remain faithful in their walk with Him. Amen.
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