Day 21 The Greatest Commandment

The Greatest Commandment

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 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 neighbour as yourself.”   Matthew 22:36-38

Both these commandments were part of the Law of Moses. The first commandment is from Deuteronomy 6:5 and the second from Leviticus 19:18.

Jesus emphasised the order. He called one “the first and greatest commandment” and the other “the second.”

Why is the order important? No matter how hard you try, you’ll never love others successfully if you don’t love God wholeheartedly first. You can try and try to love people but if you don’t first of all love God, you’ll find loving others frustratingly difficult.

When we love God wholeheartedly He supernaturally helps us love others. He gives us a new ability. We don’t sit back like spectators watching ourselves loving people. We “do” the loving but God begins to give us the love.

Do you know people you find it hard to genuinely love? Go back to God. Ask Him to fill your heart with love – first for Him and then for them. If you’re willing you’ll find a new love growing in your heart.

There are different keys to helping us love those we find unlovely but this is the starting point. Get this one right and watch your heart grow.

To listen to this message, download in MP3 here.

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