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 12:30

I love you, Lord,
All my days.
How do I love Thee?
Let me show You the ways.

I love You when I rejoice
In another one's success.
I'm sincerely glad for them
When that one You bless.

I show You love when
My life is a reflection
Of the guidance You provide
And I go in that direction.

When I sing Your praises
I am filled with joy!
My love for You is secure,
Which nothing can destroy.

In my obedience to His law
I show my love for God.
I may stray from time to time,
Yet He loves me though I'm flawed.

I'll love You, Lord, with all my heart,
With all my strength, and soul,
And with all my mind, as well;
It's in loving You that I'm made whole.

February is the month of love. Hearts decorate the stores and our homes. We celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards, candy, and gifts to friends and loved ones. It’s a feel-good holiday, and one I looked forward to when I was teaching. I had the students write positive notes, called “warm fuzzies,” to each other every day. I wanted them to get in the practice of showing love and kindness towards others not just in February, but every day of the year! It wasn’t a novel idea; it was something Jesus said was the second greatest commandment. (The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31) But, before that, Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God wholeheartedly. (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 12:30) That’s a pretty tall order, because it requires us to surrender completely. Not your heart some of the time. Not your soul some of the time. Not your mind some of the time. Not your strength some of the time. All of it all of the time. So what does that look like in real life?

One way we love wholeheartedly is building each other up. (Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11) When someone succeeds, we rejoice with them. Don’t let jealousy crawl into your heart. Be genuinely happy for them. Isn’t that what you would hope they would do for you?

Another way to love wholeheartedly is living out our faith. (You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11) When we accept Christ as our Savior, He shows us our path through scriptures. When God speaks to me in scripture, I feel so close to Him. I sense His guidance and act on it. But, sometimes I rattle off my prayers or read over a scripture absentmindedly. I’m on autopilot and not really present. During those times, I generally don’t walk away fulfilled. It’s a conscious action to engage with the Lord during prayer and devotion. I’m still a work in progress!

Worshipping God is another expression of wholehearted love. (The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7) I love this verse! When I’m uncertain about something, I know I can turn to the Lord, and He will give me strength and peace as I await an answer. Music has always been my way to connect to God, so my heart really does leap for joy when I sing to Him! (Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14) Starting each day in a prayer of thanksgiving sets my mind, body, and spirit on the right path. It centers me.

By living according to His Word, we show God wholehearted love for Him. (Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119:111) I feel freedom in my faith. God’s laws free me from sinning. It’s a reminder of what to do and what not to do! Although I fall short at times, I strive to live out His Word. God doesn’t expect perfection, but He does expect our lives to reflect Him to the best of our ability.

When we love God wholeheartedly, we are not only a blessing to Him, but we’re also a blessing to others. Our lives are richer as we serve God and others with unrestrained love. If we sincerely love Him, our actions will show it. God knows we’re not perfect, but He sees our hearts. So, when we fall short, He knows our repentance is genuine. We are forgiven. It’s comforting to know God wholeheartedly loves us!

Lord, guide me daily in loving you and others wholeheartedly. Help me to intentionally look for ways to build others up, walk in Your ways, and worship you in all I say and do. May my life reflect Yours as I put my faith in action. Amen