Loving one another

devotion · 02 Nov 2023

November 2 2023

“The most important one,”* answered Jesus, ”is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ~ *ark 12:29-31

A brilliant teacher of the law asked Jesus the greatest of all the commandments. Jesus replied with the above answer. He concludes his observation with the statement, “There is no commandment greater than these.” In another place of the gospels he says, “The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

It is amazing to me that as I look at American Christianity what divides us is more obvious than what unites us. For example:

Are we singing hymns or choruses?
Piano and organ only or drums, guitars, tambourines – oh please no tambourines?
KJV, NASB, NIV, or the Message?
Suits and ties Sunday morning or blue jeans and Hawaiian shirts?
Speaking in tongues allowed or that all stopped in the 3^rd^ century?
Elders rule the church? The pastor rules the church? The congregation votes on everything?
Church only on Saturday or Church on Sunday?

Somewhere along the way we lost sight of loving another as Christ loves us.

I think sometimes I think we look at church as though we are looking in a mirror. It’s what I want. It’s what I am comfortable with. Maybe we should trade our mirror for a window. A window that gives me a glimpse into God’s mercy, grace, and kindness. A window that allows the light of his love to shine into my soul and change me from the inside out.

He loves us in our differences. He loves us and wants us to love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength. Then he wants me to love my neighbor and even love myself. Quite honestly, I can’t do it. But he can do it through me.

Lord Jesus once again I give you me. All of me. I admit that in my core I am selfish. I want it my way. Help me to surrender to having it your way. As someone once said, help me to surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. In Jesus name amen.