The Greatest Thing

Recently, I was sitting at my desk, thanking God for my wife. I thought about all I went through before God brought us together, and I was telling Him how much I love her and how much I know she loves me. But then, I transitioned and began thinking about the Lord and I told the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit how much I loved them. And my heart just broke with my love for the Lord.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5 (KJV)

I began to tell Them that I love Them so much more than my wife, or any person. Then I realized that I love God because of the love They put in my heart to love Them.

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:28-31 (KJV)

This passage tells us, first of all, that, although they are three, the Lord our God is one God. Then it tells us that the greatest commandment is to love. The greatest commandment is to love God with your total being: spirit, soul, and body. We are to love God with all that is in us. In the Psalms, David poured out his love for the Lord through words, prayers, and songs. He did not hold back when it came to expressing his love for the Lord.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)

The greatest thing, and the first thing, for us to do for God is to love Him- to be a lover of God- with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then, out of that love, we can love our neighbors as ourselves, which is the second greatest commandment. First, we acknowledge God with our love, then we love others and even ourselves. According to Jesus there are no greater commandments- and in these two commandments, we fulfill all the Lord’s commands. The ultimate law is the law of love.

If you want to be great in God, then love God, yourself, and others. Be a person of love, and your life will count for something great- both now and throughout eternity.