Loving God with Everything

Thursday, December 4

Mark 12:30 (NKJV)

“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

Devotion

Jesus gave a very clear instruction. He did not say to love God only when life is comfortable or when blessings are flowing. He said to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is a full-life commitment. It calls for devotion that reaches our emotions, our thoughts, our choices, and our actions.

To love God with all your heart means that He deserves the first place in your desires and affections. Many things compete for our hearts. Work, relationships, entertainment, wealth, and comfort can easily take the main seat if we do not guard our love for God. When the Lord is truly first, we begin to see everything else through His eyes.

To love God with all your soul is to honor Him in the deepest part of who you are. The soul is where identity, purpose, and conscience live. It is where we surrender our will and say, “Not my way, but Yours.” Loving God at this level means we allow Him to shape our character and our decisions, even when it is difficult.

To love God with all your mind is to think in a way that pleases Him. This includes what we choose to learn, what we meditate on, what we watch, and what we listen to. In a world filled with confusion, lies, and constant noise, loving God with our minds requires discipline. Philippians 4:8 gives us guidance on what to think about: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

To love God with all your strength is to serve Him actively. It involves energy, resources, time, and effort. Faith is not only something we believe; it is something we live out by what we do each day. We love God with our strength when we choose to forgive, when we help someone in need, when we share our testimony, and when we worship even when we feel tired or discouraged.

God deserves this kind of love because He has loved us completely. He held nothing back. He gave His Son. He gave His grace. He gives His presence. He continues to give mercy every morning. When we remember what He has done, it becomes our joy to love Him with everything we have.

Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord Jesus, I come before Your throne. Forgive me for any way I have loved other things more than You. Write my name in the Book of Life, and teach me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to put You first in my choices and in my thoughts. Fill my life with true devotion to You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Apply It Today

Take a quiet moment today and ask yourself honestly, “What part of my life is not fully loving God right now?” It may be your attention, your priorities, your thoughts, or your time. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow in sincere love for the Lord in that area. Choose one practical step today that shows God you love Him with your whole being.

Resources

• If you’re ready to unlock a deeper walk with God, don’t miss the message “The Power of Pleasing God”—it will shift your perspective and strengthen your faith.

• What decision, priority, or relationship do you need to run through the filter, ‘Does this please Jesus?’ right now?