SCRIPTURE: Mark 12:28-34
‘All you need is love’; ‘love makes the whole world go round’.
If you want to know what life in God’s world (kingdom) is supposed to be like, focus on love.
If you truly love God and love people, all of the commands will be unnecessary.
Like this man, many people sense that love is the heart of good living, even though they don’t know God or God’s laws.
Paul says that God’s laws are written on their hearts (see Romans 2:14); they are not far from the kingdom.
The problem is that we have reversed this order: love self, then others, then God (if/when I need Him).
This does not generate a world of peace and joy (God’s kingdom paradise) but the hell that this world has become.
Knowing that love is the answer, is not the answer; it’s close (to the kingdom), but not enough.
We need our selfish hearts changed: we need God’s forgiveness for our selfish love and all it’s consequences.
And we need God to release us from our self-love, and with His Spirit’s help to start loving selflessly.
This is why repentance (admitting our self love) and faith (trusting God for forgiveness and help) are the necessary steps to entering the kingdom: only with God’s forgiveness and help can we love like this.
If all we need is love, then all we need is Jesus – the key to God’s forgiveness and help.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I sense that loving You and people is the right way to go, but I need help doing this. I am still trapped by self-love in the deepest part of me. If all I need is love, then all I need is You!
Observation/Application
The greatest command – Love God. Love man. Then one has the right perspective. Love self is not part of the equation. All for self seems to be dominate in the world today. Not Your will but mine be done. Oopsy. Wrong choice!
Knowing = Loving = Doing the will of God. God first. I am always in last place. His will be done. God first. My will needs to be aligned to His and if not, I’m on the wrong track.
I am always reminded when I point – my thumb is always towards Heaven(God) – first place , my index finger is always towards others – second place and there are three fingers pointed back at me – third place. That creates the JOY principle – Jesus, Others, Yourself. That equates to the LOVE which God is describing here. A principle which would turn this world upside-down like the be-attitudes.
May my attitude be this LIFE giving principle each and every day.
Prayer
Help me this day Lord to live the JOY principle in all I do and say. Make me a living witness, an epistle, read by all who see me living for Jesus.
Love, Love, Love, Love
The Gospel in a word is Love
Love your neighbor as your brother
Love, Love, Love
Peace, Peace, Peace, Peace
The Gospel in a word is Peace
Peace that passes understanding
Peace, Peace, Peace
Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy
The Gospel in a word is Joy
Joy that fills to overflowing
Joy, Joy, Joy
Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ
The Gospel in a word is Christ
Love Him, serve Him, and adore Him
Jesus Christ