An Order for Life

Scripture:   Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no greater commandment than these.  (Mark 12:30-31)

Observation:  The is the order of a life surrended to God. It is the order of life for Love.

Application:  Over the past couple of days a new prayer for my life has emerged and it is a prayer for justice. It surprised me.  But as I thought about it, it seemed to fit.  God’s justice is about setting things right. It is about alignment.  As I read the scritpure this morning, I’m reading from that lens…justice…order…alignment.  “My heart” is the wellspring of life and it is to be guarded and protected. Not isolated or unyielding but guarded and protected as a treasure (Proverbs 4:23).  That provides some great food for thought in daily decisions…
“My soul” is the voice of God within me…the place of inspiration and spiritual gifts..the source of what God will contribute to the world by my presence on earth.  (I Timothy 4:14; and 6:20). This seems like a great start for daily priorities…
“My mind” is the wisdom and understanding developed through learning, skills and experiences given to me on earth.  All of it is to be refined and ever growing. Jesus was frustrated with the disciples and religious leaders for then lack of comprehension. (Mark 12:24, 27) (I Corinthians 2:6-16).  This is my list of learning and applying all of that learning to my daily life…
“My strength” is my physical energy for life…staying healthy and fit so I can live well in the environment of earth. It is taking care of the temple in which my spirit is present.  (I Corinthans 6:19).  This is my care of my body…all of it from health, fitness, nutrition…everything.
If I order my life around these ways of loving God, it leads me to love myself by taking care of the way God created me.  And by loving God and myself….I am free, able and willing to love with my neighbor.

Prayer:  Lord, I know you are a God of justice.  There is an order to the way you created all of creation, including the way you created humans. Help me to live into your order, your justice and your love. Thank you for always teaching and providing wisdom for life.

Yield:  Be true to what I know allows me to love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength.  Everything else will be “justified” and fall into place.