The Greatest Commandment

     
Today on Good Friday, many of us are acknowledging the resolve of the Lord to make his holy presence known to all.  I have acknowledged his presence in many ways and have seen the powerful ways he’s impacted people’s lives, without them even recognizing him.  We, as a society, are eager to have more, do more, and be more; thus, our impatience hinders our ability to see the amazing ways God is present in our lives.  Of course the Lord wants us to plan; but, he expects to be the writer of the plan.  If we look at our lives and make a list of what we want to accomplish, we should never put a deadline on it.  I was watching a television show where one of the characters was turning 30 years old and was reviewing a list of things he had hoped to do by that age.  He had written the list when he was 15 years old and some of the items were certainly from the mind of a young person with a positive outlook on life’s possibilities.  The accomplishments he had hoped to have checked off included: riding a wave and beating a video game in one sitting.  Many of those things on the list he had done or could easily do in a day.  However, what he was truly concerned about was that, at the age of 30, he was now a decorated war veteran and divorcee that would never find his true love. 

Love is the greatest commandment that God has given us; to love him with all our heart, with all our strength, and all our soul. Secondly, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Then, as he has written it, and showed it time and time again throughout history, why are we so convinced that we will never find true love?  It is already in front of us! God loves us in a way that no one else ever will, even ourselves.  If we start there, returning to the one who loves us unconditionally, we may begin to wait patiently on the rest of the pieces of our life.  In his love, he has given us what we need.  It is our inability to accept the love that he has offered that leads us to feelings of hopelessness, despair, loneliness, anger, greed, and hatred. We have become disgusted with the turmoil around us and in our own lives; to the point we reject the good things that come our way.  However, even in the depths of despair, he has sent his disciples to reach out and share that love.

I’m not referring to biblical disciples.  I’m referring to modern times, the people that we meet who have taken the time and effort to treat us in a caring, loving way.  I look back at the opportunities I have been given to share his love and I’m in awe.  I did not begin to feel love until, I accepted the complete unconditional love, and then passed that along to every person I met.  I began to see past the exterior and recognized the need displaying itself in others’ behavior, eyes, and words.  The most powerful response given is love.

 If we were to meet the Lord right now, I believe his first question would be, “do you love me?” A question so simple but, yet so complicated.  How many times have we been asked this same question by a person we were in a relationship with?  My two-year old daughter asked me this question a few days ago.  Without hesitation, I answered “yes”. Without hesitation, I answer “yes” to my Lord.  “Why then,” God may ask you, “do you not fully trust me?”  It is easy enough to say we believe but, to show we believe takes another leap of faith. When we have showed love to others along the way, it doesn’t matter if we have failed to accomplish our goals. The result, with God’s love living in us, is that we have accomplished his goals. If I could have held the hand of the man who was about to turn 30 and facing his lack of accomplishments, I would remind him that he has had and will always have God’s love.  He simply must be willing to accept it in its’ pure form with the faith of the things yet to come.  With each question we have we ask God and we will find the answers are written from love.  To understand and share those answers grows out of our love for him, for his word, and for his plan. 

The Greatest Commandment   -  Matthew 22:37-39  - Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"