The First and Greatest Commandment

“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.” (Mt 22:37-38 AV)

 

Another verse that needs no explanation.  Upon this law and the law to love thy neighbor rests the entire law.  This law was stated first in the Old Testament.  This is not a new law.  It is the one law that carries on from one dispensation to the next.  To love God as listed above was required of Adam and Eve.  It will be required of all who desire to dwell with God.  The thing is, it is hard to do.  The old man loves himself, first.  The new man, created in the image of Christ, fights against the old man.  The new creature established at the foot of the Cross cries out, Abba Father.  Our new nature desires to love God with our whole being.  The old nature frustrates this desire.  Paul speaks of this in Romans chapter 7.  The reason love is commanded is that love is against our nature.  That is, love for God and others.  Love for self is the first and more dominant love of all.  Learning to love God and others more than ourselves takes time and trials.  But loving God with our whole person is the first and greatest of all commandments.

It doesn’t take much to determine what, or whom, a person loves the most.  Working the state fair this year, Milwaukee Bucs championship shirts and hats were all over the place.  Not that wearing them or being happy that your team won is wrong.  I have a Cubs jersey with Ross’ name on the back.  I have it and wear it once in a while to remind me of an older guy, facing retirement, still swung for the fence.  It is a reminder to me that no matter how old I feel, I should be swinging for the fence.  However, I am not one to follow the career of David Ross.  I have no idea what he did for baseball before the world series win, and even though he currently manages the Cubs, if he ever leaves, I probably will not know what happens to him.  However, that is not true of some.  Some follow their favorite player, entertainer, or team with a  dedication equal to a fanatic.  Their homes, phones, and car are decked out with team logos.  I even knew someone who was buried in a casket with his favorite team logo displayed all over that casket.  What we value is easily determined.  This is not limited to sports or players.  Go into the average home and one may see every room of the house covered in family photos.  It is easy to determine what the householder loves the most.

This thing is, we are to love the LORD with our whole being.  That does not mean we can not partially love other things or people.  What this does mean is we love the LORD the most.  No other interest or person should come before God.  God is the most valuable of all relationships.  Not limited to spirit only.  But this love should be emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically.  This love is tested.  This love may come into conflict with other loves we possess.  But if we are to obey the LORD, we are to love Him first.  This love is to grow deeper.  This love is to involve all that we are.  Like watching two newlyweds whose lives are completely entwined with one another, this is how we should be as a child of God.  Loving God with our whole person is not something unreasonable.  It is the only reasonable thing to do!