John 12:1-8
John 13:5-17
Luke 10:38-42

“Love God and do whatever you want.” -- Augustine

It’s not about being good.

Nor giving all you own to the poor.

 

Nor working hard.

 

Seriously.

Honesty, integrity, morality, honor and respect don’t make the cut, either. It’s not putting food on the table, or earning a degree or succeeding in the work place.  These may be good, but they’ll never grant us purpose.

Let’s visit a few themes closer to our religious hearts.

It’s not about making disciples. It’s not about going, being sent or sending.  Attending church faithfully or tithing? Nope. It’s not about building the church, or winning souls. It isn’t about serving others or even serving God.  Often we honestly believe God created us to do chores on earth. He’s easily got enough angels for that.  And He’s got that omnipotent thing going for Him.

So why do we believe that He needs our favors?

In truth, many things are good and right.  But by themselves, they don’t provide a foundation for the abundant life Jesus promised.  And if what Jesus said was true, His followers should be out-living everyone else.

“Love the Lord your God...with all your heart…with all your strength…with all your soul.” (Luke 10:27)

He requires nothing but asks for everything.  And the heart is central. My efforts, my tasks, my words and my appearances, mean nothing without love.  He wants my heart.

“It’s about relationship, not religion,” we repeat.  Why then do we respond with a “Yes, but…” when we hear Jesus say the greatest commandment is love? Just try it. Ask someone you know what is most important in a life of faith. Loving God rarely makes the list. The equation could look like this: life of faith=love God and others + ________. You fill in the blank.

Why do we work so hard to earn love? How will we feel, in the end, when we realize we’ve been duped? We were told to pursue so many meaningless pathways. And the Lord only required two: “Love Me and love others.”

“All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:40)

In other words, everything else happens on the backstroke.

What do you think God wants from you?
What does life expect from you?
How does love produce activity? Does activity produce love?

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