Go Love God
This week during my studies, I was reading the book of Matthew when I came across a commandment that changed the way that I perceive my relationship with God.
These verses are found in the book of Matthew in chapter 22, verses 36-38. These verses read:
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
Grounded in love, these verses help us to understand what the first great commandment is. Now, reading this verse with little to no context about the nature of God, people may think that this is a law or commandment given by God forcing individuals to love Him. From an outside perspective, this is a fair assumption, it seems daunting to be commanded to love God. However, taking into consideration the nature of God, we realize that there is nothing but pure intent behind this commandment.
The way that I view my relationship with God is similar to the relationship that I have with my parents. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we often refer to God as our Heavenly Father. With this title, we teach that God loves us just as our parents here on Earth do. This simply means that He is involved in our lives and wants nothing but the best for us. With this knowledge, now when we approach any commandments from God, especially the one that commands us to love Him, we understand that this commandment is for our benefit. I believe that the commandment to love God is an invitation for us to develop our relationship with Him. We do this knowing that as we develop our relationship with God, we can better call upon His power and His influence to help us navigate the challenges of life.
I know that as we follow the commandment to love God, we will recognize His love for us and His guidance. Loving God is one of the greatest things that we can focus our time and energy on. So go out there, and Go Love God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.