The Two Anchors That Hold Everything
Matthew 22:37–40
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. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Thought:
Jesus took what many had turned into hundreds of complicated rules and showed that everything rests on two great commands. Love God. Love people. These are not two small details. They are the two great anchors of all true obedience.
When love for God is missing, obedience becomes empty and cold. When love for one's neighbor is missing, religion becomes harsh and selfish. When both loves are present, the rest of the Christian life begins to take its proper shape.
The law of God is not upheld by human strength or religious performance. It is upheld by love. God's love for us. Our answering love for Him. Our love for others. When we do not know what to do in a situation, we can ask simple and searching questions.
Jesus said that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. If these anchors are fixed in our hearts, everything else can be ordered around them.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for showing me what matters most. Forgive me for making faith complicated when You have made it clear. Teach me to love You with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Teach me to love my neighbor as myself. Let every choice, word, and action in my life be measured by these two commands. Fasten my life to love. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
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. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Thought:
Jesus took what many had turned into hundreds of complicated rules and showed that everything rests on two great commands. Love God. Love people. These are not two small details. They are the two great anchors of all true obedience.
When love for God is missing, obedience becomes empty and cold. When love for one's neighbor is missing, religion becomes harsh and selfish. When both loves are present, the rest of the Christian life begins to take its proper shape.
The law of God is not upheld by human strength or religious performance. It is upheld by love. God's love for us. Our answering love for Him. Our love for others. When we do not know what to do in a situation, we can ask simple and searching questions.
- What would it look like to love God in this moment?
- What would it look like to love my neighbor in this moment?
Jesus said that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. If these anchors are fixed in our hearts, everything else can be ordered around them.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for showing me what matters most. Forgive me for making faith complicated when You have made it clear. Teach me to love You with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Teach me to love my neighbor as myself. Let every choice, word, and action in my life be measured by these two commands. Fasten my life to love. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
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