As Jesus answers a question about the greatest commandment, he quotes Deuteronomy 6 In the Old Testament. He emphasizes that loving God involves our entire being – every part of us. Thus Jesus draws attention to the Hebrew teaching Heart As the center of our being, the center of our mind, our will and our emotions. Our mind is a fundamental part of our entire existence.
Our mind is at the core of our self. Our everyday lives flow from our thoughts and desires, and these are reflected in our words and actions – everything we do and say. However, most of our thoughts and desires go unnoticed by ourselves and others. So if we want to obey the greatest commandment, we have to pay attention to our thoughts and desires. We need to pay attention to our mind.
We can tell the difference between right and wrong with our mind. We can make plans and figure out how to reach our goals. Our mind reflects our character and nature. It’s no wonder that Jesus reminds us how important it is to love God with all our heart.
Yet I find that I rarely check my mind to see if it is focused on loving God or on the quagmire of ugly thoughts and desires. Is this true about you too?
Let us focus on serving God wholeheartedly this month. Let’s consider how God can change us to live more like Jesus than He calls us to live.
