Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.
This is the most important, the first on any list.”
Matthew 22:37-38 (The Message)
I don’t count The Message as authoritative scripture, but the principles it expresses here are valid and beautifully stated.
Passion and intelligence.
Femininity and masculinity.
Right-brain and left-brain.
Heart and mind.
Everything.
Love the Lord with everything.
Every heartbeat.
Every breath.
Every thought.
I’m far, far from being there. But it’s where I want to be. And I resolve to step closer this year.
This month, thanks to Mark Batterson’s book Primal, I’m working on “heart,” loving God through loving others with more compassion.
I take baby steps, but as long as I’m walking in the right direction,
speed doesn’t matter.
Love does.
Love him with passion, with prayer, with intelligence.
It’s of first importance.
* * *
And he said to him, “You shall love [agapao] the Lord your God with all your heart [kardia] and with all your soul [psuche] and with all your mind [dianoia].
This is the great and first commandment.”
Mathew 22:37-38 (ESV)