Loving God Wholeheartedly
January 19, 2026
Mark 12:30
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’Jesus’ words in Mark 12:30 are not just a suggestion but a profound call to a wholehearted, all-encompassing devotion to God, who has already given us "all things". When He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,” He speaks of a love that is undivided, constant, and far from convenient, a love that penetrates every aspect of our being.
The heart is the center of our desires, affections, and motivations. To love God with all our heart means:
Letting Him shape what we long for
Allowing His presence to soften what has grown hard
Choosing Him even when emotions fluctuate
It’s the daily prayer: “Lord, align my desires with Yours.”
When the Bible speaks of "the soul" it is describing the innermost part of our being, the foundation of our identity and purpose. Therefore, Loving God with our soul means:
Finding our worth in Him, not in achievement or approval
Letting His Spirit breathe life into our weary places
Surrendering our whole selves, not just the polished parts
Finding our worth in Him, not in achievement or approval
Letting His Spirit breathe life into our weary places
Surrendering our whole selves, not just the polished parts
To love God with the deepest part of us is to offer the quiet confession: “My life is Yours, Lord.”
Remember, faith is not blind, mindless or without thought. In our verse today Jesus invites us to love God with our intellect, imagination, and reasoning. What might this look like?
Well, at the very least I believe it involves the following:
Allowing Scripture to shape our worldview
Bringing our questions to God instead of hiding them
Thinking in ways that reflect His truth, purity, and wisdom
It is the intentional practice of praying: “Renew my mind, Lord.”
To love God with all our strength means the daily offering of our selves to God with a prayer like, “Use my life for Your glory.”
I know this is a well known verse to many of us, probably read lots of devotions on it, heard numerous sermons as well, yet today I believe it is a verse packed with statements that we need to return to repeatedly. For, you see, Jesus’ command to love is not burdensome, it is actually tremendously liberating. Jesus is not asking for perfection here; He is inviting us into the journey to fullness. Wholehearted love is not achieved in a moment; it is cultivated over a lifetime.Wholehearted love grows through, small acts of obedience, quiet moments of prayer, and choosing God and his purposes again and again ... Wholehearted love grows as we open ourselves to God's love that transforms us from the inside out.
I have found that the more we love God, as Jesus' words above invite us, the more we discover "How Deep the Father's Love" is, that God has loved us first, best, and completely.
Let's Pray
Lord, help me to love You with all that I am. Guide my heart, steady my spirit, refresh my mind, and strengthen my body. Lead me into a richer, fuller, and more joyful love for You, a love that fills every part of my life and shows Your goodness to the world. Amen.
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