Loving God
Loving God. Growing Together. Reaching The World.
These are more than just words on your screen right now, this is the mission of Harvest Church. We exist to do these three things, in this order. Which means it’s more than just a mission, it’s a process (or a journey, I like the word journey). And on Sunday we began a brand new journey of Loving God. You can watch or listen to the message here
In a world that often pulls us in countless directions, it's easy to lose sight of our true purpose. But what if we could distill our entire existence down to one simple, yet profound mission? That's exactly what we find when we dive into the greatest commandment given by Jesus:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
This powerful statement isn't just a nice suggestion – it's the very core of who we are meant to be. We were created by God, for God. This realization can be life-changing, solving many of the existential questions that plague our hearts and minds. Our purpose isn't found in worldly success, relationships, or even in our own happiness. It's found in loving and worshiping our Creator! And how freeing that is. I challenge you to wrestle with this over the coming months.
But what does it mean to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind?
Let's break it down:
Heart: To the ancient Hebrews, the heart represented the core of one's personal being – the driving force of life itself. Loving God with all our heart means He becomes our primary motivation, the central focus of our existence. As Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
Soul: This speaks to our emotions, the depth of our feelings. It's the same word Jesus used in the Garden of Gethsemane when He cried out, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Mark 14:34). Loving God with our soul means bringing our full range of emotions into our relationship with Him – our joys, our sorrows, our fears, and our hopes.
Mind: This corresponds to our intellect, our strength, and our determination. It's about engaging our thoughts and our will in our love for God. We're called to love Him not just with fuzzy feelings, but with reasoned commitment and intellectual pursuit.
The beauty of this commandment is that it encompasses our entire being. We're not called to compartmentalize our faith, relegating it to just one aspect of our lives. Instead, we're invited into a holistic love relationship with our Creator that touches every part of who we are.
But how do we live this out practically? Here are some key ways we can demonstrate our love for God:
1. Make a decision to follow Jesus: This isn't mental assent, but a heart-level commitment. As Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
2. Commit to daily time with God: Reading His Word, praying, and cultivating a devotional life. As Psalm 119:105 reminds us, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
3. Attend church regularly: Not out of obligation, but because we recognize the importance of gathering with other believers. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
4. Engage in heartfelt worship: Bringing our best before God, not just going through the motions. This involves our whole being – lifting our hands, raising our voices, and focusing our minds on His greatness.
5. Be baptized: As a public declaration of our faith and commitment to Christ.
6. Practice tithing and generosity: Recognizing that everything we have comes from God and returning a portion to Him as an act of worship and trust.
It's important to note that loving God isn't about perfection or following a set of rules. It's about relationship. Just as in human relationships, our love for God grows deeper as we spend time with Him, get to know Him better, and align our lives with His will.
The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 illustrates an important point about our offerings to God. Both brothers brought offerings, but God accepted Abel's and rejected Cain's. The difference wasn't in the quality of the offerings, but in the heart behind them. Abel brought what God desired, while Cain brought what he wanted to bring. This serves as a powerful reminder that God looks at our hearts, not just our actions.
As we cultivate this all-encompassing love for God, we'll find that it transforms every aspect of our lives. Our priorities shift, our perspective changes, and we begin to see the world through His eyes. We become more compassionate, more joyful, and more at peace, even in the midst of life's challenges.
Moreover, when we truly love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, it naturally overflows into love for others. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to "love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). Our vertical relationship with God fuels our horizontal relationships with those around us.
In a world that often feels fragmented and chaotic, this call to wholehearted love for God provides clarity we cannot buy. It gives us a clear purpose and a solid foundation on which to build our lives. Whether we're facing triumphs or trials, joys or sorrows, we can always return to this fundamental truth: we were created to love God with everything we are.
May our words, our actions, and our very being resound with the truth: "I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You. Oh my soul, rejoice!"
These are more than just words on your screen right now, this is the mission of Harvest Church. We exist to do these three things, in this order. Which means it’s more than just a mission, it’s a process (or a journey, I like the word journey). And on Sunday we began a brand new journey of Loving God. You can watch or listen to the message here
In a world that often pulls us in countless directions, it's easy to lose sight of our true purpose. But what if we could distill our entire existence down to one simple, yet profound mission? That's exactly what we find when we dive into the greatest commandment given by Jesus:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
This powerful statement isn't just a nice suggestion – it's the very core of who we are meant to be. We were created by God, for God. This realization can be life-changing, solving many of the existential questions that plague our hearts and minds. Our purpose isn't found in worldly success, relationships, or even in our own happiness. It's found in loving and worshiping our Creator! And how freeing that is. I challenge you to wrestle with this over the coming months.
But what does it mean to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind?
Let's break it down:
Heart: To the ancient Hebrews, the heart represented the core of one's personal being – the driving force of life itself. Loving God with all our heart means He becomes our primary motivation, the central focus of our existence. As Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
Soul: This speaks to our emotions, the depth of our feelings. It's the same word Jesus used in the Garden of Gethsemane when He cried out, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Mark 14:34). Loving God with our soul means bringing our full range of emotions into our relationship with Him – our joys, our sorrows, our fears, and our hopes.
Mind: This corresponds to our intellect, our strength, and our determination. It's about engaging our thoughts and our will in our love for God. We're called to love Him not just with fuzzy feelings, but with reasoned commitment and intellectual pursuit.
The beauty of this commandment is that it encompasses our entire being. We're not called to compartmentalize our faith, relegating it to just one aspect of our lives. Instead, we're invited into a holistic love relationship with our Creator that touches every part of who we are.
But how do we live this out practically? Here are some key ways we can demonstrate our love for God:
1. Make a decision to follow Jesus: This isn't mental assent, but a heart-level commitment. As Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
2. Commit to daily time with God: Reading His Word, praying, and cultivating a devotional life. As Psalm 119:105 reminds us, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
3. Attend church regularly: Not out of obligation, but because we recognize the importance of gathering with other believers. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
4. Engage in heartfelt worship: Bringing our best before God, not just going through the motions. This involves our whole being – lifting our hands, raising our voices, and focusing our minds on His greatness.
5. Be baptized: As a public declaration of our faith and commitment to Christ.
6. Practice tithing and generosity: Recognizing that everything we have comes from God and returning a portion to Him as an act of worship and trust.
It's important to note that loving God isn't about perfection or following a set of rules. It's about relationship. Just as in human relationships, our love for God grows deeper as we spend time with Him, get to know Him better, and align our lives with His will.
The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 illustrates an important point about our offerings to God. Both brothers brought offerings, but God accepted Abel's and rejected Cain's. The difference wasn't in the quality of the offerings, but in the heart behind them. Abel brought what God desired, while Cain brought what he wanted to bring. This serves as a powerful reminder that God looks at our hearts, not just our actions.
As we cultivate this all-encompassing love for God, we'll find that it transforms every aspect of our lives. Our priorities shift, our perspective changes, and we begin to see the world through His eyes. We become more compassionate, more joyful, and more at peace, even in the midst of life's challenges.
Moreover, when we truly love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, it naturally overflows into love for others. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to "love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). Our vertical relationship with God fuels our horizontal relationships with those around us.
In a world that often feels fragmented and chaotic, this call to wholehearted love for God provides clarity we cannot buy. It gives us a clear purpose and a solid foundation on which to build our lives. Whether we're facing triumphs or trials, joys or sorrows, we can always return to this fundamental truth: we were created to love God with everything we are.
May our words, our actions, and our very being resound with the truth: "I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You. Oh my soul, rejoice!"
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