Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Jesus replied, "The most important commandment
is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one
and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God
with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and
all your strength.' The second is equally important:
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other
commandment is greater than these.
Mark 12:29-31 NLT

God commanded us to love. It would have been easier
if God had just said, "Run a mile a day," or given us
some other physical task. Then we wouldn't have to
think about it. We would create a routine of basic action.
But God speaks of love as an action that requires our
whole selves.

Why must we love God? In the divine plan for those
creatures called human, loving God is as essential
as breathing is to our physical life. We must breathe.
We can make ourselves unable to breathe, or we can
refuse to breathe — but not without consequences.
We must love God because the alternative, though
possible, is unthinkable and unbearable. How tragic
that many choose to give "lip service" rather than
"lung service" to this basic law of spiritual life. Take
a deep breath and ask yourself what specific
opportunities you will have today to demonstrate
your love for God.

WISE WAYS  Think of some specific ways you
could demonstrate your love for God in your
neighborhood.

Quote:

Love is a fabric that never fades, no matter how often
it is washed in the waters of adversity and grief.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Prayer:

Today, Lord, teach me to love you with my whole
being and share this love with others.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Proverbs by Neil
S. Wilson, Tyndale House Publishers (2002),