Love God Greatly - Made for CommunitySample

Jesus tells the religious leaders that all of the tenets of the Law encompass two commandments. The first is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Believers are to love God with everything that we are and with everything that we have. Only then, are we able to put the needs of our neighbor above ourselves. Because of Jesus work on the Cross, we are not required to fulfill these commandments in order to receive salvation and escape the wrath of God. But we are able to increasingly fulfill these commandments as we draw closer to Christ and grow in His characteristics.

Sacrificial giving of our money, our time, our love, our talents and gifts shows that we trust the Lord to provide, supply, and replenish all of those things in our lives. It shows that He truly is the center of our hearts. We give our all to God whenever we give in our poverty. Whenever we are poor in money, poor in energy, poor in time, poor in strength, poor in faith, poor in hope, yet choose to give selflessly and recklessly, we put God first.

Do you love God out of your abundance giving Him the first, the best, and the most of you? Or are you giving Him what’s left after all of your other obligations have sapped your source. What is your attitude towards God when you are lacking?

PRAYER: Father God, You are our generous Provider with the universe’s resources at Your fingertips. You are our generous God who pours selflessly into our lives, not expecting anything in return. Lord, forgive us when we withhold from You. Lord, forgive us when we allow doubt and fear to prevent us from giving You our all, from sacrificing and sharing. Thank You, Lord, for continuing to pouring over and over into our lives despite our failings and our apprehension. Help us to be like King David, choosing not give to You anything which costs us nothing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.