"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."
Mark 12:30
According to the Bible Knowledge Background Commentary, the definition of this verse goes as follows:
heart - the seat of spiritual life and the inner being; among other things
soul -life itself, which often involves feelings, emotions and desires. It overlaps with the heart.
mind - understanding and intelligence
strength - refers to one's ability or to one's capacity or power to act.
That brings it up a whole new level for me. It challenges me to study and memorize more. It challenges me to keep my quiet time with the highest priority. It reminds me to get involved and press forward. It is all for Him. It is what really matters.
Thanks Ruth for this great definition of this verse. How many times have I told God I love Him with all my heart...with everything I have and am without understanding what that actually involved? The next time I need to ask myself, am I loving God with a pure heart? Is it simply words spoken from a habit? Is my heart connected to my soul? Do my feelings fulfill my words? Do I love intentionally or do I love without purpose or understanding? Am I able and willing to choose to be actively strong in my love or to remain passively hidden behind "just words"?
ReplyDeleteLord I thank you for the opportunity through this message to love you unconditionally, from a pure heart filled with feelings of gratefulness, and with the strength to not just say I love you, but that my actions will reveal to you and others my true love for you.