Deuteronomy 6:5-
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy might.”
"I do love God," said a little girl to her papa
one day when he had been talking to her about loving God. "Perhaps you
think so, Maria." "Oh, I do, indeed I do, Papa!" "Suppose,
my child, you should come to me and say, 'Dear Papa, I do love you,' and then
go away and disobey me? Could I believe you?" "No, Papa."
"Well, dear, how can I believe you love God when I see you every day doing
those things which He forbids? You know, the Bible says, 'If ye love me, keep
my commandments.'" How many of us
fail to show our love for God because we do not keep His commandments?
He tells us to love Him with all our heart, and with all our
soul, and with all our might. The best
proof of this love is to obey His commands, one of which is to love Him. The Psalms also speak much of loving
God. Psalm 31:23 instructs, “Love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the
Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.” And Psalm 145:20, “The Lord preserveth all them that love him.”
This command is so important that Christ reinforces it in
each of the first three gospels when the lawyer came to Him and asked Him which
was the greatest commandment. In Matthew
22:37-38, Christ responds, “Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment.” In John 14:15, He
adds, “If ye love me, keep my
commandments,” and in John 14:21, “He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.”
The Apostle John takes it a step further in 1 John 2:5, “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily
is the love of God perfected.”
Here’s that perfect love that “casteth
out fear” of 1 John 4:18. Two verses
prior, John says, “God is love; and he
that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
Love the LORD
Love the LORD with all thine heart Is what the Word commands.
Give to Him the praise that’s
due With all that’s in thy hands.
Show to Him a heart that’s full
Of love so strong and sure
By living here a holy life That’s
right and clean and pure.
Love the LORD with all thy soul
– To Him above give praise.
Extol Him for His mercies fine,
And love Him all thy days.
Give Him thanks for all He’s
done – With all thy soul do tell –
Exalt Him over all the world For
saving thee from hell.
Love the LORD with all thy
might, Yet not thy strength alone.
Put on the righteousness of
Christ, And stand before His throne.
For in the strength of His Dear
Son, We’ll worship Him above,
And give to Him the proper
praise With heart so full of love.
© 2006 Paul Stultz
"Lord, I do love you - I know it's easy to say with my lips - but help me to show it with my life. Lord, Help me to love you more and more each day and demonstrate that love with an obedient life. Amen."