A Heart for God

God promised Israel that he would bless them in the land if they would obey the commands. What are the commands? I think we tend to end up making a huge list of commands--all things that no doubt God wants us to do. Our list quickly becomes a cold, busy-work legalist formula. A list that grows into a tiresome impossible form which we struggle everyday to keep and it makes us fearful, fretful, and angry--we cannot keep from being overcome by our guilt of not be able to keep "the list."
Deut. 11:13 says, "So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul--" There it is, to love the LORD you God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Those are the commands: to love and serve God with all your heart and all your soul. To have God at your heart. You know if we truly put God at our heart in love and service:

• we wouldn't have so much trouble with people not coming to Bible Class.
• we wouldn't have so much trouble getting people to come to worship services.
• we wouldn't have so much trouble getting teachers to teach our children.
• we wouldn't have trouble filling our small groups.
• we would have more people serving others, not just the 20%.
• we would have more people encouraging each other through phone calls, visits, cards, service, and compliments of one to the other.
• we would love new songs and old songs.
• we would love seniors, middle aged, teenager, and babies the same.
• we wouldn't have guilt over "the list." These things would naturally occur.
• we wouldn't have so much concern over structures.
• we would realize the things that really matter.
• we would choose to be kind over being right.
• we would have a better reputation as Christians in our world.
• we would have more passion and zeal for the things of God.
• we would know that worship can happen not just on Sunday mornings in the assembly.
• we could ignite the world with the Spirit's fire.
• we would be more like Jesus than at any other time.

No wonder Jesus said the greatest command was to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.