Key Thought

Total love. That's what God wants. No more, no less. Total love. Total love is different than total obedience. While obedience is important, even sometimes necessary even when we don't understand why, it is not love. Obedience can show love, but it can also show fear. If we love God, we will obey him. Total love is different than total knowledge. Knowledge is good. Knowledge can lead us to know more about God. But knowledge can never replace loving God. If we love God, we will be able to know him. Total love is not feeling good about God. Some things that love asks us to do are not fun and do not leave us feeling good. But love does help us develop deep feelings for God. Heart, soul, mind and strength. Jesus wants total love. Love from our emotions. Love from our spirits. Love from our knowledge. Love in our physical actions. Love that reaches in and combines all of who we are and hope to be. Love for God is eternal. It joins us to the King of Ages in joyful appreciation of all he has done for us, is doing through us, and will do for us in the future.

Today's Prayer

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Lord God Almighty, I reverence your holy name. I want to obey your every commandment. I want to become a loving servant and bring glory to you for all you have done for me. But most of all Father, I want you to know how much I love you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The Pharisees learned that Jesus told the Sadducees things they could not argue with. So the Pharisees met together. One Pharisee was an expert in the law {of Moses}. That Pharisee asked Jesus a question to test him. The Pharisee said, "Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?" Jesus answered, "'You must love the Lord your God. You must love him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'You must love other people the same as you love yourself.' All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands." So while the Pharisees were together, Jesus asked them a question. Jesus said, "What do you think about the Christ ? Whose son is he?" The Pharisees answered, "The Christ is the Son of David. " Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Then why did David call him 'Lord'? David was speaking by the power of the {Holy} Spirit. David said, 'The Lord (God) said to my Lord (Christ): Sit by me at my right side, and I will put your enemies under your control. ' David calls the Christ 'Lord.' So how can he be David's son?" None of the Pharisees could answer Jesus' question. And after that day no person was brave enough to ask Jesus any more questions {to try to trick him}.

— Matthew 22:34-46 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.