The only way to see and experience what true love really looks like is to look to the One who loved us first before anyone else ever loved us. We usually think our parents were the first ones to love us, but in actuality God loved us first.
The Lord demonstrated His love for all of us by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to earth to save us from our sins. Jesus loves us and He proved it by dying on the cross for our sins. There is no greater love than that.
When I think about love I often think about the time when one of the teachers of the law came up to Jesus and asked Him a question.
That question is found in Mark 12:28 which says,
"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
That was a very good question that the teacher of the law brought to Jesus.
The Jewish rabbis at that time counted 613 individual statues that people were to follow. They even tried to divide them into heavy and light commands.
The teacher of the law was trying to get Jesus to pick the one command that was the most important of all those commands.
Jesus' answer is found in Mark 12:29-31 which reads,
"The most important one", answered Jesus, "is this:
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul,
and with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these."
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We are to love Him with our entire being.
Jesus didn't stop there. He went a step further.
He said the second greatest commandment is for us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We love ourselves a lot when you think about it. I can prove it too.
How many meals do you skip? I make sure I never miss a meal. Truth is I probably feed myself too much at times. We do make sure we take care of ourselves pretty well most of the time, don't we.
Do we care for those around us the same way?
What would happen if we loved others as we love ourselves? What a witness for Christ that would be. If we took care of those in need the way we care for ourselves many people would be open the hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What needs to change in your life in order for you to love the Lord with all of your being and love your neighbor as yourself?
May we put our faith in Christ and serve Him by loving Him and loving our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
Lord,
We come before Your throne of Grace and give You thanks for Your love toward us.
Help us to love You with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength.
Help us O Lord to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
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