Saturday, March 4, 2016

Saturday, March 5, 2016

"'Well said, teacher,' the man replied. 'You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.' …[Jesus] said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 12:32-34)

The Pharisees and Sadducees were constantly trying to "catch" Jesus saying something false or contradictory to the Scriptures. They knew the words of the law very well - it was in their heads - but they couldn't seem to get it down to their hearts. They were good at living FOR God - doing things for His love and approval, like sacrificing bulls on the altar. However, they were not very good at living FROM God - doing things because of His love. That's why they had such a difficult time with Jesus. He always taught the Scriptures from the heart-level, the way that God had always intended them. The Scriptures weren't just a bunch of rules - they were a way of life that had a very clear Center - Love.

"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

Love did not originate with us, but rather with God. His goal was to share His abundance of love with us and then for us to share that love with each other. Imagine you're at the beach. You dive into the waves, get soaking wet, and then, running out of the water, you give a long hug to someone who is bone dry. Very soon you'll both be wet. I believe that is what the Lord intended when He gave us these Greatest Commandments. He wanted us to dive into His ocean of love, get soaked and then go soak others. The teacher of the law seemed to agree with this. So, why did Jesus say, "You are not far from the kingdom of God"? What else did he need to "do"? Receive.

"Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Luke 18:17).

Receiving the kingdom is what separates the modern day "hippie," who is all about peace and love, from the Christ-follower. God created us to receive and to give His love, but we cannot do it unless we make Jesus Christ to be our Lord, our Champion, our Leader, and our King. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. And, without coming to the Father we never encounter real, unadulterated, pure Love. "God [the Father] is Love" (1 John 4:16).

I don't know where you are in your relationship with God today. Maybe you still struggle with living FOR God rather than FROM God. Maybe you like the idea of God's love, but struggle with God's leading. Whatever your situation, you are not far from the kingdom of God! Receive the truth, that God loves you in spite of every reason you think He shouldn't (Romans 5:8); that His leading and His love come from the same heart (Psalm 23).

Lord, help us to receive your love fully so that we can give your love freely. In Jesus' Name. Amen.