Day 157 - The First Rule, Love God Above All Others

Do you love God above all others?

The Pharisees questioned Jesus.

Master, which is the chief rule in the law?

And he said to him, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest rule.

And a second like it is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.

On these two rules all the law and the prophets are based. (Matthew 22.36-40 Bible in Basic English (BBE))

Love God above all others. It must be that original sin set the tone that loving God above all others would be a struggle for human beings. That first act of putting self before God in the garden opened the door to choice. It can be difficult to make the right decisions when you have a choice. We can choose everything for ourselves, and not only do we have the right to choose, but we must choose to survive. Making no choice is not an option in life or death. To remain with God and to truly love God, we have to choose often what is difficult or scary. But with God, we can do it.

Prayer:

Tender Father, giver of choice to all humans, I pray for the strength always to choose you and love you with my whole heart, soul, and mind forever. Forgive me for the human choices that distract me from you. They are not with intention but with some other emotion that needs to be fulfilled. I willingly and openly admit I am wrong at times. I would be grateful if you would turn my eyes back to you and my future with you when I stray. Ensure I have a mission at all times so that I remain fixed out of myself. The mission of your goals strengthens me and my ability to see beyond myself. There is so much more to focus on than me and my desires. I would be grateful for the strength to recognize the rule's value to love you first, then my neighbors. I am aware that my humanity and the desire to control my path can cause me to chafe against this, and it is a struggle I want to give over to you. Amen.