Today we are talking about God's Priority

 

Have you ever had something really complex become simplified for you?

Something like the complexity of the theory of gravity could be simply defined as the force that keeps everything on earth. The complexity fills volumes and volumes of books, yet it can also be simply stated in a sentence.  

 

There is beauty in complexity, and there is beauty in simplicity. Both have their value.

 

Well Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was of all time. He took the beautiful, detailed and vast complexity of hundreds of laws and he simplified them into today's verse.

 

Matthew 22:37-39

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

Love God and love your neighbor.

You could say those are God's priority for you and I as followers of Jesus.

 

As we grow in our faith, we can bring this priority back to mind. Ask yourself every so often: “God how can I love you this week? God how can I love my neighbor?”

 

Does God’s priority make it onto your priority list?

 

As we build this habit of thinking about and practicing God’s priority of loving God and loving our neighbors with His help, we're going to find we are growing in this ability to live out god's priority as a follower of Jesus.

 

Living it out won't happen perfectly, and it is not always simple; but it is always worth it.

 

Remember most of us have experienced the consequences that eventually come when our priorities are out of order. Have you felt that strain before?

 

Maybe when your work took too much priority over your family time you experienced consequence? Maybe when rest time took too much priority over school work or project work? We know what happens when our priorities are out of order and out of balance for too long. It causes consequences and challenges.

 

In today's verse God is helping us focus our priorities. It will impact what we give our time, our thoughts, our energy, our resources, and our heart to each day.

He says love God with all your heart soul mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

 

If you keep these two priorities in front of you and you adjust as needed throughout the days the months and  years, this will help you follow Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

See you tomorrow for more in our series “I said “Yes!” to Jesus, now what?!”