THREE THINGS ABOUT LOVE

Mark 12:28-30 NASB

(28)  One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"

(29)  Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;

(30)  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

In looking at these verses the one thing that stands out is the command to love God.  What goes into a command?  A good definition would be to order or maybe even to request something.  So the notion here is that one has a choice.  We can choose to love God or sadly we can choose not to love God.  Either way, the command that we shall love the Lord God is a voluntary choice on our part and the choices we make have consequences.

The first thing - love is a command.

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 NASB

(1)  "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it,

(2)  So that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

(3)  "O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Now going a little deeper into the concept of love we see that it is a choice.  God commanded the statutes to be taught and for the people to live by and keep His commandments all the days of their lives.  God goes further on to say that if we do keep, live by, and teach our children these things all will be well with us.  This type of love requires a conscience effort.  This type of love requires active worship with a purpose.  This type of love requires us to live a life where we use our gifts and talents to serve God.

The second thing - love is a choice.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.