Love With All Your Might

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV)

This is yet another verse that's probably crossed my path more times than I can count, but yesterday it was a beautiful and powerful reminder.

Love isn't always the easiest thing. Sure, there are those moments when it flows quite easy, like smiling at a rising sun over one of the Great Lakes on a perfect morning. But then there are those times when it requires every ounce of strength we possess. It's in those moments when we're faced with trials, burdens, and the weight of our own sin when love becomes a deliberate choice.

It's easy to get caught up in the idea that love should always come naturally. After all, our human nature tends to prioritize self-exultation and self-gratification. But real love, the kind that reflects the love of Christ, often demands more from us. It calls for a conscious decision to set aside our own desires and pride, and to extend love even when it feels like the hardest thing in the world.

Yet, amidst all the struggles and uncertainties, there's comfort in knowing that the God we love is unchanging in His faithfulness. He remains constant, regardless of our own wandering and sin. So, even on the days when love feels like an battle, we can find peace in the knowledge that we're striving to imitate the love of The One who is always faithful, always true, and always loving.

His,
~Matthew