An Undivided Heart – Devotion 288

We are taught to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  In other words, love God with our everything.  We are also taught to love our neighbor as ourselves.  That teaches we are to love ourselves (we are, after all, made in the image of God).  It also teaches we are to love others.  Our love for ourselves and others, of course, stems from our love for God.  No fruit is produced apart from God.  No true love is shared when God is not the singular focus.  

Loving God makes us not only better servants, but better parents, children, spouses, employees and so much more.  We are better because of our focused love for God.  All things spring out of this.  But it is hard to keep this singular focus.  So many things vie for our attention.  There are so many things which call for our loyalty.  Options abound of what we can give our hearts.  Yet, loving God has to be it.  It must be our guiding light in life.  When it is, all things work together.  

Love the Lord our God is more than a set of words strung together.  It is a declaration to the One who rescues and redeems us.  It is not an idea but a practice.  It is not a saying but a way of life.  To love God changes everything.  He already loves us.  He could not love us any more than he already does.  We are not trying to earn his love.  We couldn’t if we wanted to.  We are called to love him.  That is the focus. This is the goal.  

Love the Lord our God with an undivided heart.  Giving God our all is the focus.  May it be so.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 86:11-13

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
¹² I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
    and I will glorify your name forever.
¹³ For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

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