Wholehearted Love

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Romans 8:39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is only one goal in life worth having: to grow in my capacity to receive love from God and to return love to Him. In fact, all of the law hangs on this:

Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Wholehearted love is a goal with guaranteed success, but it takes an intentional reach that is grown over time. Forever I will be increasing in my capacity to love God and feel the power of His love. Because God is infinite...a never ending well of increasing love...it will take an eternity to explore His love and simply take it in. He is the only one who can ever satisfy my heart. Every other love is lesser and finite...it runs out at some point. Every other goal falls far short of growing in wholehearted love for God. The Devil is always attempting to turn my eyes to lesser goals: success in family, business or ministry; increasing prominence; influence in my social circle or teaching; being seen as committed, spiritual, or holy. These goals pale in comparison to wholehearted love for God.

I was made for love, and I was made for love generated by the only eternal one who never runs out of love to give!

Sincere love is not the same as wholehearted love. Sincere love can be born in an instant and die just as quickly:

Matthew 13:20-21 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

Wholehearted love takes an eternity to grow into, but I don't have to wait to enter into the process. I can love God in my complete capacity, as small as it may be, today. But, the more I reach for wholehearted love, the more my heart grows....the more my capacity to love and be loved grows.

The evidence of my increasing capacity to love God is demonstrated in the physical realm by my ability to love other people. God loves everyone perfectly and fully, and if I love Him, then I will grow in my love for those He loves! That is why the second commandment naturally flows out of the first:

Matthew 22:39-40 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

If I am reaching for wholehearted love for God, I will naturally grow in my capacity to love others. If I see I am stuck in my love growing for others, I need to fix it by growing in wholehearted love for God.

It takes God to love God. I reach for wholeheartedness with my words.

Increase my capacity to love you today, God, and let it be evident in how I sacrificially love others!

1 John 2:9-11 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

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