Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

The Most Important Commandment

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Beloved,

In the scriptures Jesus was asked a question by one of the scribes. The scribe asked Jesus, Which commandment is first and most important of all? Jesus response shows not only his heart but the heart of our Heavenly Father. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. As believers we are to actively pursue Abba and Jesus, make them apart of our day to day life, and pray continually (communing or communicating) with them. Since the fall of man (Adam) no one was able to fulfill this first commandment but Jesus. Jesus came down from Heaven to take our place to fulfill the law and commandments and to set us free from the law of sin and death. Jesus is the only one who loves our Heavenly Father perfectly. Now that may seem grim but through Jesus and his finished work all who believe in Him are in Him and He is in them. We are able to love Abba with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength through Jesus. Hallelujah!

Verse 30 is not only taught but completed by Jesus and he reminds us in verse 31 to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Both of these verses are equally important. You cannot love others if you don’t first love yourself. I pray that this verse will inspire you to start being good to yourself. It is not selfish or arrogant. It’s a great way to start and focus on what is right for you and stop dwelling on the negative. You cannot give away what you do not have. It all starts with you. We should accept ourselves in the process and embrace who and where we are. Life is too short to be against yourself. Abba and Jesus accept and approve of you right where you are. As a child of the Most High God you will never lose your standing with Him. He has seen your beginning to end, forgiven your sins, and loves you cheering you on, loving every step you make. I pray that your eyes will be opened to see yourself as Abba and Jesus see you through their eyes and know that you are wanted and loved. We are able to go from glory to glory and enjoy the glory we are in right now. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Quit comparing yourself and run your own race. No one can do you, like you can do you. We have exactly what we need to fulfill our destiny. Don’t let failures and times you got off course to cause you to be down on yourself. Acknowledge the good things. We should recognize his favor, goodness, and mercy in our lives.

As you take the time to love yourself and embrace where you are, you will be able to love others the same. I love in Luke 10:29 Jesus was asked, Who is my neighbor? Jesus answered with the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told how one man out of three had compassion and took the time, materials, and resources to help a man beaten to near death and left in the street. The Good Samaritan demonstrated the second commandment of loving your neighbor. As we learn to love ourself and others we will be the hands and feet of Jesus to a broken and fallen world.

I pray that your eyes will be opened to see Jesus in a new way and rejoice in his finished work. I pray you will begin to love yourself in a new and healthy way and pour out that love to others. In Jesus Name. Amen!

Written By:

A Child of the Most High

Anastasia