The verse that caught my eye this morning was:
Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
It is pretty simple. Love God and love people. That seems simple doesn't it? But the truth is we learned from the Prodigal God series that both son's in the parable didn't love their father, they love the idea of what the father could do for them. Both sons were living in the house with their father but neither one were acting like sons. They were acting like orphans. When you don't know your position as a child of God. You won't be able to receive His love. If you don't receive the Father's love you won't be able to love God or other. Think about it. I love Him because He first loved me. Simple, 'love God and love people,' but complex.
How do I love God? It begins with knowing my position in Jesus Christ. I am forgiven, loved, righteous and I am a child of God. As a child, I know He loves me. I exercise receiving that love daily. I sit around and receive His love. While driving I receive His love. I know He loves me. The Bible says 'He loves me.'
As I receive His love, then I can love Him back and I will have love to give away to other people. Keeping the great commandment begins by knowing who you truly are in Christ Jesus and receiving the Father's love so that you will have something to give away.
Basking in the Father's Love,
Tom