The Greatest Commandment Brings Relationships Into Focus
“‘Love the Lord your God with all 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."
Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders had expanded the Ten Commandments to over 600 rules and regulations, as if ten were not enough! Little wonder there was such confusion in their religion as to which was the most important. But Jesus narrowed their focus to the one thing that would change everything when He was asked which commandment was the most important, which was the greatest one of them all. He told them it was loving God and loving others. In other words, the bull’s-eye they should be aiming at was a relationship target, not a religious one! In His response, Jesus gave us four “alls” if we are to hit the relationship target. Look at the passage again. We call it the Great Commandment.
“‘Love the Lord your God with all 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.” Mark 12:30-31(NIV)
Jesus shows us how the greatest commandment brings everything into focus. Hitting the bull’s-eye of a focused relationship means being all there! Being all there involves:
My affections: “All my heart…”
My emotions: “All my soul…”
My intellect: “All my mind…”
My actions: “All my strength…”
These are the four rings on the target of a focused relationship. Each ring is like a concentric circle with your heart in the center. If they are missing, our relationships will never experience the kind of love and fulfillment God intended. We will settle for less than God’s best if we neglect them. Ask yourself how divided your affections are in your most important relationships. How distracted is your mind? Are you hiding your feelings in that relationship? What specific actions have you put off that you know you should be doing?
The truth of the matter is, we cannot multi-task our relationships with God and others and expect them to grow. Are you all there when it comes to your relationships? Or do you ever find yourself engaging others while at the same time trying to check your smartphone? When we do that, we are devaluing the relationship. We lose focus on what is more important, and who is the most important. Give them your full attention and see what happens. It will take your relationships to a whole new level when you do.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.