Love...God, Neighbor, Self

~~~ Hosea 14:2-10 ~~~ Psalm 81 ~~~ Mark 12:28-34 ~~~

I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.

At least during this time of Lent remove your ear plugs.

God has amazing things to tell you concerning his love for you.

There is only One God...

He is One and there is no other than he.

And to love him with all your heart,

with all your understanding, 

with all your strength,

and to love your neighbor as yourself

is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

This profound response was given by Jesus.

It may be easy to say that you love God,

but do you love him completely?

Are you holding back part of your heart from God?

Have you given God all of your understanding?

Have you asked him for an understanding of his will in your life?

Do you actually want God to give you additional understanding?

Is it easier to claim ignorance rather than responsibility?

Is it easier to ask for forgiveness than permission?

How much strength does it take to love God?

Why does it even require strength?

It should be easy for us to love God with our whole being,

but the catch comes in the second part.

...and to love your neighbor as yourself

is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

We often stop short of fully living this part.

Notice that this is written as one sentence.

Jesus did not say that loving him is all you need to do

 to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The concept of loving God and loving 

your neighbor is not even separated by a period.

It is one together.

Is God telling us that if we do not love our neighbor

 then we are not loving him?

How does that make you feel?

Perhaps it is the complete love we have for God 

that gives us the motivation to love our neighbor to the same degree.

Lent is the proper time to make amends

 with those estranged from us.

Loving God to the fullest comes with the necessary 

blessings to love your neighbor in kind.

~~~Peace~~~