"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)
"He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:26-28)
Have you figured it out yet?! That's right, God's rightful position/place is numero uno... #1!
Often times, we think we are waiting on God, but the truth of the matter is that God is waiting on us. Love is intentional as God is intentional. He intentionally created the world and everything/one in it. He intentionally became a man and sacrificed His life (after our mess ups) so that we could have a better life with Him. He intentionally breathes life into us. He intentionally molds and shapes us, the clay. He intentionally lights the way; we've got to choose to take it. Nothing God does or allows is by accident because God is love, and Love is intentional. Purposeful.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)
Life's circumstances can't take God's perfect love from us. But if we allow them (circumstances), they can keep us from loving God. Wheww, I felt that just typing it out. Sorry, Lord. It happens so often in this life. So my prayer, Church, is that we elevate Christ into His rightful position/place in our lives (every aspect). And in doing so, our love for Him can only grow...deepen. Intimacy. Get real with the Lord. God is good... the best Father a girl...or boy could never ask for yet, here He is.
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
We've got to get the basics down before we can move on up - a rock solid foundation. Step 1: (Know and) LOVE God! All else hinges on it...on Him.
"We love him, because he first loved us."
(1 John 4:19)
What. A. GOD!!! Let's take a page from His book...literally...and LOVE intentionally, purposefully, FAITHfully. Starting with Jesus!
*I found Him whom my soul loveth: I held Him, and would not let Him go...* <3
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
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