January 3, 2025
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
A new year 2025 has begun. A New Year is always a great opportunity for self-examination.
What were some of the greatest blessings in the past year?
What would you want to do differently as you move into 2025?
Today’s Scripture has the potential to have the most impact on our life when we start off each day with this purpose before us. Love God. Love Others.
That’s how Jesus summed up all the law and prophets. This summary statement Jesus calls us toward a single-minded focus, a focus he left with His disciples and by extention you and me. Love God. Love Others.
What a powerful way to live!! We all want to live with this single-minded focus. Unfortunately, if you are anything like me, before our feet even hit the ground each day, we can easily become distracted from this purpose. Have you noticed how easily distraction(s) can keep us from our desired devotion to God and His purpose for our life? Frustrating isn't it? We beat ourselves up over what appears to be our faithlessness. But what if it could be different? What if we were to begin each day acknowledging our love for God and asking Him to help us to love others, just as He has loved us?
In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” I suppose, we might say that this is a simple concept, but it is one that takes incredible intention to live out. Agree?
That’s how Jesus summed up all the law and prophets. This summary statement Jesus calls us toward a single-minded focus, a focus he left with His disciples and by extention you and me. Love God. Love Others.
What a powerful way to live!! We all want to live with this single-minded focus. Unfortunately, if you are anything like me, before our feet even hit the ground each day, we can easily become distracted from this purpose. Have you noticed how easily distraction(s) can keep us from our desired devotion to God and His purpose for our life? Frustrating isn't it? We beat ourselves up over what appears to be our faithlessness. But what if it could be different? What if we were to begin each day acknowledging our love for God and asking Him to help us to love others, just as He has loved us?
In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” I suppose, we might say that this is a simple concept, but it is one that takes incredible intention to live out. Agree?
So, here’s a challenge for us (me too): before we "roll out of bed" each and every day, let us take a moment to express our love to God, and ask Him to help us to love others in the way He has loved us. That’s it. I have no doubt God will honor this prayer as we seek to make His love our “one thing”.
Throughout this day, be mindful of this question: what does love require of you?
Throughout this day, be mindful of this question: what does love require of you?
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