What does it mean when God says we are to love Him with all our heart, soul and strength?
Well... I'm still learning the answer to that question. I think it's a lifetime of learning. But here's a couple thoughts I had.
When we think about the physical heart, we see that the physical heart pumps blood to every organ of the body, to every corner of the body. It is this blood that brings the life giving properties that keep us alive. If blood gets cut off from reaching a certain part of the body, we will die, or that organ will die. When blood stops flowing to certain parts of the heart, we call it a heart-attack. When blood stops flowing to certain parts of the brain, we call it a stroke. It is a serious thing when the blood flow is interrupted. In the same way, I think that when we love God with all our hearts, this love will flow to every part of our life... it will affect everything we do, everything we think, every decision we make. It will dictate where we walk, how we spend our time, our money, even how we take care of our body.
When we love God with all our soul, it evidences to me our complete longing for God, our yearning for more of His presence. He is to be our soul-mate companion. It is His abiding life that is to fill ours. We are to be one with Him, in a similar fashion that we are to be one with our husband or wife. This is beautiful...
When we love God with all our strength, it shows that all our energy and focus is after God. This is not a passive haphazard, laxydaisical sort of relationship. No, this means all our commitment and passion and focus is for God. What affects Him affects us, what moves Him moves us, what propels Him propels us, what energizes Him, energizes us. Our strength does not go towards worldly pursuits. All our strength goes towards following after God.
We all have a long ways to go when it comes to loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength. That's why we need to pray, "Lord teach me what it means to love You, truly love You, with all my heart, soul and strength! Teach me what it means to abide in You"
How do we learn to abide in Christ. It is through His Word!
I appreciate Deuteronomy 6:6 that talks about hiding God's Word in our heart. Much could be written about the benefit of Scripture memorization.
Many, it seems, feel that God's commands and instructions are cumbersome, but we must remember that everything He says is for our good... "And the Lord God commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day."(Deu 6:24)
Ellen White writes:
"The principles set forth in Deuteronomy for the instruction of Israel are to be followed by God’s people to the end of time. True prosperity is dependent on the continuance of our covenant relationship with God. Never can we afford to compromise principle by entering into alliance with those who do not fear Him.
There is constant danger that professing Christians will come to think that in order to have influence with worldlings, they must to a certain extent conform to the world. But though such a course may appear to afford great advantages, it always ends in spiritual loss. Against every subtle influence that seeks entrance by means of flattering inducements from the enemies of truth, God’s people must strictly guard. They are pilgrims and strangers in this world, traveling a path beset with danger. To the ingenious subterfuges and alluring inducements held out to tempt from allegiance, they must give no heed." (From Prophets and Kings, p. 570)Let's continue to pray that He would teach us what it means to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength!
Tomorrow's Reading: Deut. 8-9 and Acts 28
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