Scripture
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
Luke 10:25-27
Observation
It's all about love! Loving God and loving people! Jesus says in Matthew that on these two commandments rest the whole Law and the prophets. In other words, if we do well on those two things, we're pretty much walking in obedience to the whole bible. Not that it's all that easy, but it certainly does simplify things.
But the emphasis today that I am getting is on the first part of it, the first commandment, loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the number one, top job for every Christian. And in vs. 38-42, this is further emphasized as Mary was commended for sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to Him, while her sister was running around serving. I believe that God is calling this people back to sitting at His feet, to re-developing and growing in that intimate, personal relationship with Him so that we will know Him, and His will, and the things we wind up doing will be exactly the things He's calling us to do; things that He will supernaturally empower, doing through us the things that only God can do! What an awesome call, that we can know God, that He wants to be with us, and that He wants to pour His power into us and do His work through us! But it all begins by loving the Lord with everything we have, and the obedience that goes along with that love (John 14:15, 21, 23).
Application
I know that God is speaking this to me, and that in this season of my life, I need to spend more time with Him than ever before! It's not just doing daily devotions anymore. It's sitting at His feet, in the Word and in prayer daily, so that I might know Him, His will, and receive His specific guidance. These days are crucial, and I cannot afford to be operating on my own power and wisdom.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I need You, I need to meet with You. I need to be abiding with, living with and walking with Christ! I need to be hearing Your voice daily and going to You about all the things that are going on in my life and around me. I need You to be making the decisions and calling the shots, so I ask for Your help and Your mercy in this. Help me to make sitting at Your feet and loving You with all my heart, the reality and priority of my life!
I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen!
© 2007 Pastor Jonathan Smith at New Hope Christian Fellowship O'ahu
Original found here.