Matthew 22:36-38
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment."
Choices in life are sometimes difficult. My children want to do things on their own, but will come to me to get advice on some of the bigger things like what school they should attend, should they make a financial leap into something, or even a situation with a suitor. We also face decisions each day: do I ask the boss for a raise; should I take this new job offer; should we move to a new church?
Jesus had been teaching in the countryside and towns for a while now. People were beginning to test him to see if he really was who he claimed to be. One asked him about the greatest of the commandments. Most were concerned about stealing, divorce, ownership of property etc., but he reminded them that the love of God was the greatest of all the commandments. Not doing Levitical laws, Roman laws or local societal laws, but loving God with our whole heart, soul and mind. Remember that there were many who worshipped other Gods created by man. But we are called to follow one God, the God of the Universe. Not the god of money, love, war or any other gods that the Greeks, Romans or others worshipped. Today we are called to stay focused on God. Do we love God with all our heart all the time, or just Sundays at 9:00 am worship? Do we love God only when we need mercy in a situation, or do we love God during both the good times and the bad? Try to pause three times a day for just a few moments to thank God for everything you have. Then each day expand that time by 10 seconds. Before you know it, you'll be developing a solid prayer life.
