PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 12:28-34
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34)
God designed this world – the creation kingdom – to operate through love.
God-like humans were designed to love God and people, and this was paradise!
We have turned this kingdom of love into a dominion of darkness – by not loving!
The whole point of the Moses Law was to point people back to love as the answer.
God in Jesus becomes human to do what we have failed to do – to love fully.
Jesus is the kingdom of God in action; being close to him makes us close to the kingdom.
But will we surrender fully to God’s love in Jesus, and join him in living that love?
This teacher understood that what mattered most was that we love God and people.
This brought him close to the kingdom of God – close but not in.
He was an expert in the law, but would he become a follower of Jesus?
We don’t enter the kingdom by keeping the Moses Law, nor by obeying the Law of Love.
We enter the kingdom by simply accepting that we are in it by God’s gracious love.
We enjoy the blessing of this kingdom by reflecting this love – with Jesus’s help.
Humbly trusting and humbly following Jesus in love – this brings us into the kingdom!
PRAYER
Lord, because of you I am not just close to the kingdom, I am in! Help me to grow in my experience of God’s kingdom by growing in my love for God and people.
“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Other religion, especially Islam have a very similar statement – so I would contend that those who believe and practice love for God and love for neighbour are all close. The key connection is Jesus – He is the narrow gate – but it is He that opens and closes it. I pray my friend Abdus may come to understand and accept Jesus as his Lord and Saviour as well. He is close – it is up to him and Jesus. Praying that HS may work in his heart! He is close!
The summary of the law – love God. Love one another.
Love makes the world a better place.
But
All too often we put ourselves first and follow our own desires and wants.
As His child I need to put others first by my words and deeds. Created to serve.
I need to be an instrument of His peace and that is only a possibility when I surrender all to Him. The joy of the Lord God is my strength when I out Jesus first, Others second and myself/yourself in last past. JOY.
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength,
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
He gives me living water and I thirst no more.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.