Inmate, Mercenary, or Fulfillment? (Pt.2)

In continuing last week's post, the three areas of Deuteronomy 6v.5 need to be looked at in much further depth. We are told to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, all of our souls and all of our might. These three different aspects of human life show the three different ways in which we are to love God, and that our love to God is an all-enveloping one. Far too many of us who proclaim we're Believers attempt to love God in a certain compartment, then do our own thing in others. I remember having this realization when I learned about old "Daddy Rockefeller," an oil magnate who also taught Sunday school classes. This was a little strange to me, to hear about his cut-throat business tactics as he built up a huge petroleum empire, while separating it from his Sunday morning endeavors. Roughly 92% of this man's time was consumed with buying out other companies in the oil market and making money while the other 8% was spent teaching the Bible. To many, this would seem like a noble action. I mean, at least he actually spent time teaching Sunday school. But then, you look at the very un-Christlike way in which he conducted his business empire... The question remains, though, are we any different? Do we love God in any sort of an all-enveloping way?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart..."

The heart carries so much weight in our lives. For starters, the very lifeblood of our lives is moved throughout our body by this amazing muscle. The heart is used to convey emotions and even rational. So, the importance of the heart is seen in that we love God with all of our emotions and thoughts. Every single bit of emotion we have in these shallow human lives, and every single thought that could ever jump between brain synapses are for God's glory, and His glory alone. This is heady stuff, when we think that love is simply an emotion. 

"...with all your soul..."

Every bit of our spiritual lives should be focused on serving and, therefore, glorifying the Lord, Jesus Christ. In the world that we live in, we so weakly attempt to be politically correct and say that "all world religions have some validity...", which is simply not true. They all have points where they say we all need to get along and treat others well, but if you're calling that validity, then a three year-old's imaginary friends who all get along and play nicely together are just as valid. It seems that so many of us American Believers want to just play nice with the World, as though we're way too timid and scared to take a stand and say that Jesus truly is "the way, the Truth and the life." Do we honestly believe that no one goes to the Father except through Him? We like to think that incorporating a little Zen Buddhism here, maybe a little bit of a "spiritual practice" like yoga (yes, this is a Hindu spiritual exercise), makes us extremely spiritual people, and therefore better in the world's eyes. I don't have anything against stretching and breathing, but don't attempt to mix in the Hindu nature of worship with the walk you are on with Christ. There's no room for it, and you certainly aren't loving God with all of your soul.

"...and with all your might."

This is lost on many of us. As I explained to a bunch of youth kids on Sunday morning, every single thing we physically do, from sleeping to eating to hanging out with our friends to making a bone-crunching tackle on the football field or rugby pitch to playing a musical instrument, writing a poem, or painting a picture, should be done with the idea in our heads that it is glorifying God. Not us, not our families, not our schools, but our Saviour. Every single ounce of anything we do is designed to glorify the One who gave us the ability to do it. Anything else is idolatry.

As Christians, we need to come to a better understanding that in order to truly love God, there is no room for anything else. We worship God through that which He has graciously given... our families, our jobs, our hobbies, financial blessings and futures. We do not worship those THINGS. We are called to love God completely, with every aspect of our lives. We must come to the point like Job, where, despite losing everything, our lives are still complete because we have Christ, and that is enough.