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(Matthew 22:37) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
SERIES 7: WALKING WITH JESUS - “How do I now live because I belong to Christ?” 4. Loving God first (A growing relationship, not merely religious routine).
Following Jesus is not simply about doing the right things. It is about learning to love the One who has saved us.
To my shame ... I know that it is possible to become very religious without becoming very close to God. We can attend church, read our Bibles, pray, serve others, and still allow our relationship with God to become routine. We can be part of a great Church, and know the language of faith - but all without enjoying the presence of the One we claim to follow.
Jesus calls us to something deeper.
When asked which commandment was greatest, He did not point first to religious activity, achievement, or outward behaviour. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
God does not want to be another part of our lives. He wants to be first.
Loving God means gradually learning to know Him—not merely knowing about Him. It means spending time with Him because we want to, not simply because we feel we should. Prayer becomes conversation rather than obligation. Scripture becomes something we turn to because we want to hear His voice and understand His heart. Worship becomes more than singing; it becomes a response to who God is.
And this love grows over time.
There will be days when we feel close to God and days when we don't. Feelings change, but God's faithfulness does not. A growing relationship is built through continuing to turn towards Him, even when our emotions are quiet.
Jesus also reminds us that loving God changes how we live. When we genuinely begin to love Him, obedience is no longer merely about following rules. We begin to desire what pleases Him because our hearts are becoming attached to Him.
This is the difference between religious routine and relationship.
The goal isn't simply to become better at doing Christian things.
It is to fall more deeply in love with Christ.
And the more we love Him, the more naturally our lives will begin to reflect Him.
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Let us pray, "Heavenly Father, yes PLEASE... Amen!
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