Devo Matthew 22:34-37

Chapter 22

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.

35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36”Teacher,

which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the

Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love

your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two

commandments.”

1. The entire law hinges on its central commands to love God and neighbor.

All the law and the prophets spoke was intended to nurture love for God

and love for one’s neighbor. God is to be loved wholeheartedly, which is the

greatest commandment. But this is impossible without the aid of God; hence

the words of Augustine of Hippo, “Give what you command, Lord, and then

command whatever you will”.

2. In what way do I want to grow in love right now: Toward God? Toward

those in my family? Toward the needy? Toward myself? How would I do it?

Use the above prayer of Augustine of Hippo as a prayer and ask God to help

me to grow in love in the specific way shown by the Holy Spirit.

Personal Note:

This is the central message of the Bible.  The greatest command is to love God with all of everything and to love others as much as you love yourselves.  This is totally impossible without God's help.  I am called to love God and obey his directions in caring for the lives of young people.  How do I grow in love???

Towards God: Read God's Words, reflect on them, Pray and reponse

Towards my family: Ask them how they are doing

Towards the needy: Pray to God to provide and ask God how I can help

Towards myself: I am literally the hands and feet of Jesus Christ

God is not something abstract, but He is relational.

To put it in a context I can relate.  Our love for God is reflected in how we love our fellow brothers and sisters.  I think of someone I love very dearly.  I would like to spend time with her, know what she is feeling, listen to what she is saying, do what she cares about.

I desire to have a deep and intimate relationship with God.  I would like to spend time alone with Him.  I want to know what He is feeling.  I want to listen to what He is saying.  I want to do what He cares about.  The answer to them are all in God's Word.  

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. (Eph 1:3-5)