Wednesday November 16, 2022

Today is Wednesday, November 16 and we are exploring what the Bible says about our church’s mission statement.

Making Disciples of Jesus Christ who love God, love others, and serve the world.

I am here to pray. I still my body, quiet my mind and slow my breathing. As I inhale, I breathe in God’s love, joy and peace. As I exhale, I breathe out negativity, worry or fear.

Pause and Pray

Holy and Loving God, I draw near to Your presence this morning and listen for Your voice speaking into my life. Open the ears of my soul and the eyes of my heart so I may gain understanding of Your perfect will for me. Amen.

I love the name of the Lord and call upon Him with the words of Psalm 5.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

Pause and Pray

This week I consider the collective mission of the church and those who follow Jesus Christ. In this passage from the gospel of Mark, the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees approached Jesus to debate and test Him with complex tricky questions. He responded with sound wisdom and answered in memorable parables. One of the teachers of the law overheard this exchange and added an additional question for Jesus.

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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.” Mark 12:28-31

Jesus responded to the teacher’s question by boiling down all of the Old Testament laws into two important commandments. These two commandments combined have become known as the Great Commandment. To love God and love others. That is the life of a disciple to love God and love others. That is my mission in life – to follow Jesus’ greatest commandment. Jesus tells me clearly what is most important and reveals what I am to strive to attain. He quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which qualitatively defines the wholeness of the love God requires. My love for God is a love that encompasses all of me – heart, soul, mind and strength.

Ask: How do I daily express my love for God? What does it mean to me to love with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, I love You with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind and all of my strength. Forgive me for the times I allow the things of this world to take up room in my heart and distract me from my devotion to You. Remind me often of the Greatest Commandment and teach me how to love you more completely. I read Mark again, listening for the message You have for me today.

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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.” Mark 12:28-31

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

Jesus is revealing new truths to me today about the Greatest Commandment and what it means for my life as a mature and growing disciple. Today I focus on my mission to love God with a complete love that encompasses all of me. Whatever the scriptures reveal to me, I will carry the insight with me and ruminate upon it throughout my day.

Pause and Pray

Holy and loving God, I invite you to come and shine a light upon my soul. Show me when I place other things before my love of You. Reveal where my heart is divided. Expose the worldly things that occupy my mind and times I endeavor to push You out. Indicate the places where I expend energy and strength chasing after temporal things expending my resources from loving You. Amen.

“Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25b-28

As I leave this time of prayer, I go into the world to live a life of love – loving God more completely and my neighbor more sincerely.

Amen