Mark 12:28-31
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? 29 Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
What does God really want from us? This is the question the teacher asks Jesus when he asks what the most important commandment is (verse 28). Jesus answer is illuminating, for he says that the most important thing is not avoiding sin, as important as that may be. Rather, the most important thing is loving God and other people. Those of us in recovery need to remember this, for although we talk a lot about learning to avoid sin, the real goal is loving God. Avoiding sin is really just a means to the end goal of loving God, for sin breaks our relationship with God.
Lord, help me to love You and others will all my heart and soul and strength.
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? 29 Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
What does God really want from us? This is the question the teacher asks Jesus when he asks what the most important commandment is (verse 28). Jesus answer is illuminating, for he says that the most important thing is not avoiding sin, as important as that may be. Rather, the most important thing is loving God and other people. Those of us in recovery need to remember this, for although we talk a lot about learning to avoid sin, the real goal is loving God. Avoiding sin is really just a means to the end goal of loving God, for sin breaks our relationship with God.
Lord, help me to love You and others will all my heart and soul and strength.