Dear Faith Family, 

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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.’,” (Mark 12:29-30). 

Horrifically amazed!  The video recorded a coyote running toward a small dog in the front yard.  Then there was the man running from the opposite direction toward the same dog.  The coyote arrived first and pounced on the little dog.  Likewise, the man arrived, picked up the coyote, slammed the coyote on the ground and proceeded to pounce first one blow followed by another and another on the coyote.  Finally, the man picked up the coyote and threw him out of the front yard and into the street! 

What would possess a man that he would risk life and limb in hand to paw (not to mention teeth) combat with a coyote?!  Think about it.  Obviously, the man loved his little dog.  It was his love for that dog that enabled him to sacrifice even himself. 

Isn’t that the point of Jesus’ summary of the law?  The greatest commandment is to love God with everything you’ve got.  That’s why the ten commandments, just like creation (Genesis 1:1), begin with God, the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, (Exodus 20:2).  God knew that loving your neighbor to the degree of self-sacrifice would require loving Him first. 

Here's the point.  Only a love greater than sin will overcome sin.  Only a love greater than a love of self will produce self-sacrificial love.  We can remind each other to honor our father and mother, to not murder, to not commit adultery, to not steal, to not bear false witness, and to not covet.  But such a life of love for others isn’t even on the radar of possibility without first loving God. 

It isn’t that we shouldn’t love one another.  We should.  It is that we should love God first!  Love of God is the only source of victory over sin and into a life of gracious obedience.  And how do we love God like that?  John tells us that we love because He first loved us, 1 John 4.  Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus for strength to know the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. 

Read about His love, Psalm 136.  Yes, read the whole chapter!  Think about His love.  Consider how the Father did not spare His only Son!  Think about Jesus’ willingness to sacrifice His life for yours!  Go ahead, roll up on in it!  Bask in the love of our God.  Be still for a moment (ok, longer than that) and drink in His love on display through His creation: the birds (how do they know when to build nests?!), the trees (they even know when to shed their leaves and when to bear fruit!), the sun rise and the sun set (talk about consistent faithfulness!).  You get the point.  Know the love of God.  Love Him back. 

When that love rises to the level of first place, you might be surprised at the sacrifices that you’re willing to make! 

Still learning the love of God, 
Pastor Karl