November 14 2011

All My Heart
 
Reading: Matthew 22:34-38,  34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Do you remember the first time that you told a girl that you love her with all of your heart? The feeling at that moment and leading up to it seems very overwhelming. It feels almost like you’re about to explode from trying to contain this feeling that you have for her. It goes further… it produces actions.
But, let’s focus on the word “all” for a moment. “I love you with all my heart.” If I were to walk into my kids bedroom and say, “I want you to pick up all of your toys immediately.” If I were to come back in a little while and there are still toys on the floor and they are now off playing, I can just imagine the exchange, “I thought I told you to pick up all your toys.” “We did,” they respond. I most likely will look at them dumbfounded as they continue, “We may not have picked up those toys but we picked up all of them.” I would immediately feel like both my wife and I or the school has completely failed at teaching the basics to my children. I can just hear myself saying, “All means all.” When you told a girl that you love her with all of your heart, most likely you were attempting to communicate that there is not room for anyone else in your heart. This is exactly what God is wanting from us… to love Him so much that there is not room for anyone else. He knows that if we love Him with all of our heart, then that same love will spill out into others and it will be a more true and genuine love than we could even attempt to possess. Remember, all means all. Do you love God with ALL of your heart?

What things have crowded into your heart with which you are now in love that are infringing on your total and complete love, your all?

What can you do to change that today and love God with “all” of your heart?
End of the Day Review
  
How were you able to make some changes in your life today to have your heart be totally given to God?
 
 
How did that impact your day and your love for Him?