日期 : 06/28/09

經文 : 馬太 22:34-38

題目 : 首要位置

主旨 : 因為創造主先愛我們 , 所以衪的子民要以愛來回應。

引言 :

　　一本註釋書的著者這樣說：「如果耶穌去一個寵物店的話，祂會帶那一隻動物回去？」祂會看上這條小魚嗎？祂會看上一隻貓嗎？還是祂會將一隻狗帶回去？大概會將狗帶回去。當然我也知道有愛貓的弟兄姊妹，今天我不願與您有一個爭吵，下一次我會講一些貓的好話的道，今天暫且我們同意耶穌帶一隻狗回去，貓要來就來，要走就走，您回去的時候，貓很少走到您身邊來的，你要到處去找它，你曾否試著對貓說：「坐、走、握手」也從來沒有聽說貓順服的學校。但是狗就不一樣的？您的車還沒開進來，它就開始在那裡叫，門一打開它就爬到您的身上，如果您讓它的話，它還會黏您，如果它不聽您的話，您可以把它送到狗的順服學校裡去。我們知道貓有那獨立的精神，但是狗是以它的忠心而出名。當您好好照顧它，它會愛您、跟隨您。

　　　今天早上，我們一同思考跟神的關係，下週我們將看跟人的關係，接著看我們與別人的關係。

I.    我們 驚嘆地 站立在這位無限的神面前

如果我們要瞭解神與人的關係，首先要對神有正確的認識。讓我們看一下宇宙，一直到二零年時代，我們都以為這個銀河系就是宇宙，在這個銀河系裡，有二千億的星，地球是二千億星其中的一個星球。近數十年來，發現這個銀河系只不過是一千億個銀河系其中的一個，每一個的星雲裡都有上億的星在那裡面。我們還沒有提到一顆星的距離，還沒提到星河裡的星星距離，而且每一顆星雲系與星雲有一定的規道，稍為有偏差就會導致整個宇宙的混亂，星球後面的自然律控制它們的移動，而且準確到一個地步，當一個太空船到火星，經過幾年之後，可以準確地說出在何時何日降落。當我們想到宇宙的偉大，我們就不可思議！那些的數目字是我們不能想像的，如果我們想到宇宙的 奧 秘，真需要有不少的信心來接受。

在一九六八年的十二月廿四日，當美國太空船亞波羅第八號圍繞在月亮轉的時候，太空人就輪流在讀創世記第一章：「起初神創造天地。」 這一些話語，直到今天還存在很多人的記憶裡。這不過是我們所在的星球上，您看還有成千、成億星球，而其中有一個小小的星，叫做「地球」。所謂的地球村裡面，又住了六十七點七億的人口，在這六十七點七億的人口裡，就有您與我。當我們面對這位創造的神的時候，沒有一個字句、話語能夠充份形容我們的有限與驚訝。如果我們去看一些風景區，在美國‧加州的「優美勝地」的半圓的石頭、黃石公園外面的「冰河」、加拿大班福公園、在夏威夷的瀑布圓圈、然後中國桂林的山水，讓我們對神的奇妙偉大的工作，感到驚訝！

II.    這位無限的神與我們建立一個相愛的關係

在這位無限的神面前，我們是有限的。不但如此，詩人在詩 8 ： 4 這樣的說：「人算什麼？我竟記念他，世人算什麼？祢竟眷顧他？」然後在約伯記 7 ： 17-18 約伯又說：「人算什麼， 祢 竟看他為大，又把他放在心上，每天早晨祢都鑒察他，每時每刻祢也試煉他。」祂是這樣偉大的一位創造者，祂是高高在上的那一位，卻期望跟人建立一個關係，祂不是看人是一件物件，乃是要與人有“個人”的關係。

在這個關係裡，重點與中心是什麼？如果我們打開聖經，從舊約一直翻到新約，從頭到尾讀一次，你會看到一個不可抹煞的記號就是神對人的「愛」、人對祂的回應。在這本聖經裡，我們看見這些字句，「祂的慈愛永遠常存，天離地有多高，耶和華向敬愛祂的人愛也有多大。」、約翰福音三章十六節：「神愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信祂的人不至滅亡，反得永生。」、約翰福音一章十四節：「道成肉身住在我們的中間，滿有恩典和真理。」、在路 19 ： 10 ，路加說：「人子來拯救失喪的人」、保羅寫給提摩太說：提前 1 ： 15 「基督耶穌到世界上要拯救罪人，世人中我是那一個罪魁。」羅馬書 5 ： 8 「當基督為罪人死的時候，愛就在向我們顯明了。」在聖經中說神與人的關係的主旨，那就是祂的愛！祂愛我們，深愛我們，把祂的獨生子給了我們，好叫我們與祂一起永恆裡同在。

III.    我們以全心全意的愛來回應神的愛

面對神這樣的愛，我們的回應是什麼？法利賽人來到耶穌面前，他們問耶穌說：「老師！律法中那一條最重要的？」他們的動機是想來試探耶穌，如果耶穌說：「這條誡命最重要的：你不可撒謊。」如果這是最重要，那其他的誡命呢？他們是把耶穌陷入一個不能回答的裡面。如果祂回答的話，祂也犯了錯誤。那我們今天又如何呢？我們今天沒有人要試探耶穌，但是我們很想知道問題的答案！試想當你是學生的時候，你考試之前您會問老師什麼問題？「老師，這一門課，最重要的是什麼？」因為你希望能把所有重點都學會。但是，我們做學生的，除了這個以外還有一個動機？我只想知道試提最重要的部分，讀那個重點就行了。我讀了那一個要點就可以得到最高分了。單單及格的分數我們沒有興趣，我們想知道如何付出最少的代價得到最高的回報。

對神的命令是不是也是如此？如果我們知道那一條誡命最重要的話—不可撒謊、不可偷盜，那我做到了之後，那我跟神就有一個好的關係。是否在我們心中，想的是我們只須付出最少的代價，就能得到神的喜悅。

耶穌的回應是什麼？祂回答：「你要全心、全性、全意愛主你的神！」這句話是祂將十條的誡命把它總括起來！第一就是要我們全心的愛神！第二條，愛人！注意在耶穌的總括，祂沒有給您我一條清單，祂所講到的是生命裡的態度。為什麼愛神這麼重要？而不是說您生命做一件事呢？加爾文說：“基督可以這樣對我們說：我們首先的責任就是要服事神！要順服神！要敬畏神！要去傳揚神的話！”為什麼耶穌說您要愛神呢？加爾文繼續的解釋：只有那一位自由的服事，乃是神所喜悅的。」那個順服神的人，首先要愛神！神不要那強迫性的順服，乃是要他們的服事是發自內心的。

讓我們仔細的看一下，們要盡心、盡性、盡意愛主祢的神！在馬可福音裡加了一句，盡力愛主你的上帝！你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主祢的神！」乃是說您要整個人來愛祂！如十三世紀的理察‧賈斯特這樣說：「更親切的來愛祂！更清楚的來認識祂！更加親近的來跟隨祂！」這是盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛祢的主！

我們要盡心、盡性的愛神，這意思是說，在我心靈的深處我要擁抱著祂，祂是我生命中最重要的那一位。在最近的時代週刊，一位女藍球明星，有人問她妳最近生的孩子怎麼樣？她簡的說一句：「這孩子是我生命中的喜樂！」她用她的心來愛這孩子。當我用我的心來愛祂的時候，我們就能夠唱剛才所唱的那首歌我們要全心全意的來愛祂、服事祂！有沒有注意唱的那幾首歌，不是頭腦上的認識，乃是一些心靈裡的聲音，如果您的心不愛祂，您沒有辦法唱那些的歌，當我用心的愛來愛祂的時候，我能唱出的那一些歌，如詩歌三百五十九首：「更加的愛主！」又好像七十七首：「思慕耶穌」。詩人在詩篇七十三篇說，除了祢以外我還有誰呢？在地上我也沒有所愛慕，這些也都是生命中所反應出對祂的愛。

我想起中學的時候，思想還沒有開竅，對信仰沒有很多的明白，行為也很幼稚，但在那一個時代，深深感到神觸摸到我們的心，抓住了我們的心，在那一個時代，我們經常唱七十七首，我們大家一起的唱，當我們一起唱這首詩歌的時候，可以表示我們心中對祂的愛！如果您沒有這愛的話，這首歌您唱不出來，翻出七十七首這詩歌：「 1. 耶穌我主，每想起祢，心中充滿甘甜；若見祢面，安息祢懷，更加甜蜜難言。 2. 非口能唱，非心能想，難尋記憶印象；救主聖名最甜最美，別無他名可比。 3. 痛悔的心獲得盼望，溫柔的的心歡暢；跌倒的人必蒙垂憐，尋求必得尋見。 4. 尋見的人得著甚麼？筆墨難以描繪；耶穌的愛究竟如何？惟蒙愛者領會。 5. 只有耶穌是我喜樂，是我將來冠冕，懇求耶穌成我榮耀，直到永永遠遠。」那時我們的思想沒有開竅，我們的行為幼稚，但是在我們心中體會到神如此的愛我們，對祂唯一的回應就如這首歌所說的「耶穌我主，每想起祢，心中充滿甘甜。」這是神要我們用心來愛祂！用我們意念、思想來愛祂！

我們與神的關係，不是停在情緒層面，也包括了我們的思想、思維，我們要用我們的理性，明白祂的話語，用我們的頭腦看清楚主在我們生命裡的工作，在過去作為，現在的作為，也能夠使我們在前面的道路交給祂！將我們的目標交給祂！用我們的思想來瞭解祂在我們生命裡的恩典。我們的思維能明白聖經的真理，如何應用在生活裡。對神的信心，不是說要用您的思想、情感就行的，只要您相信就行，不是！這不是聖經的教導，乃是要我們盡我們的意念、思想來愛祂！我越多認識祂、看見祂的工作，我就更願意來愛祂、跟隨祂！我們也要用我們的全力來愛祂，不但用我的心、思維我的一切力量來愛祂！

這裡有個應用：首先，用我的全力來愛祂！在我們生命裡就沒有偷懶的地位。幾個禮拜前與您們分享：當慕迪先生回家的時候，祂的禱告就一句話：「主啊！我好累啊！阿們！」我又想到我們主日學的老師，當別人晚上可以做些他們喜歡做的事，但您卻為了禮拜天要教主日學，一個禮拜要用廿多小時準備功課，就好像我們一個傳道人準備一篇道一樣！您們的殷勤，我由衷發出感謝！我們不單教主日學，我也看到教會與其他教會的執事，當其他人回家時，而您卻要到教會來開會。有時您也會埋怨，又要開會了，不單您會埋怨，有時我也會說：「又要開會了！」如果有一天不需要開會，多好啊！知不知道這樣的一個願望，在教會裡的長老、牧師，這是普遍的願望，但是這是您盡力愛祂的表示。第二方面：當您盡力愛祂的時候，您要付出代價的來服祂。去年我在上海時，有個傳道人來跟我說，在國內有許多傳道是要帶職服事，他說他在一個建築公司工作，但在那工作的環境，要不停的收紅包、不停的給紅包，才能維持這個生意，他說他是個傳道人，他該怎麼辦？雖然他自己不給紅包，他也不收紅包，但公司是這樣的操作，這不是外人能給他的一個答覆。 我不知道他最後的決定是什麼。今年，有機會碰到另外一位弟兄，他信主只有四年，他也在建築公司內工作，他跟我提到，信主之前，對給紅包、收紅包已感到非常的厭倦，當他信主後，他更加不能接受，所以就辭掉了工作，開始了他自己的事業。他要冒險、付出代價，為什麼？因為他全力的愛神，愛神到一個地步，他要付出代價。

耶穌要我們全人來愛祂！祂要成為我們心中所愛的那位、思想的焦點、服事的對象。在不同的場合裡我分享過，最近幾年，神給我有些機會服事一些教會，去的時候，他們總是會說辛苦您了！這次去，不知道為什麼？都稱我為老人家！老人家！我以為他們在講另外一個人，還有一次在阿拉木圖的禱告中，有弟兄說，神啊！求祢祝福這位老僕人！我還以為在我旁邊還另外一個人，只有我！原來在講我！在北京坐地鐵時，一位小姐站起來讓我坐，讓我啼笑皆非，跟她說我可以站，妳自己坐吧！我的學生說：“你老人家書包我來替您拿、讓我幫您將電腦拿到課室、”雖然這次買了一個小小的電腦，很輕的，對他們來拿說，您老人家讓我們來替您拿。當我回來後，也有人對我說：「您辛苦了！」不錯在那裡的時候，時間非常的緊張，有時候真的很累，就像一個自動販賣機一樣，你按這個鈕這個東西就出來。當我一想起，這些同學們所遭遇的，以我的經歷，這算不得什麼。和他們比起來，簡直是小兒科。有些同學，他們要坐十二個小時的公車、火車來到培訓的地方，我們坐十二、十四小時的飛機我們都就吵了！但是他們坐的是公車、火車。他們又要人擠人的睡在一個小小的房間，上課開始的時候，老師告訴他們，千萬要注意個人衛生，因為你旁邊都有人跟你一起睡。想到卅、四十個人用二個洗手間，跟我們是無法比的。也有些傳道人，他們的待遇只夠他們交房租而已。有些信徒，抓住每個機會都在那裡傳福音，有個弟兄跟我說：他跟他太太每年都組織一隊旅遊團，就是透過網站發出邀請，他們在一個地方聚合，一起玩一兩個禮拜，然後這位信徒說，我用這些機會跟朋友談話，認識他們，適當的時候就將福音傳給他們，在這三年內，他們組織了三個旅遊團，每次旅遊、或結束時，都有一個人信主，某某人已經受洗在教會了，也有一位剛剛接受了洗，現在還有一位在洗禮班，準備受洗。今年他們還要組織這個團，我和我太太每年都組織一次，他們是好認真的信徒，他們連他們的旅遊都有一個很清楚的目的，他們認真的在愛他們的神！我每次都告訴他們，我來到你們當中，受益的是我，我要學習的是你們對主的愛！你們對主的愛、全身的投入，使我慚愧，因為這些原故，許多教會在繼續增長。在他們的身上，我看到他們如何全人的去愛這位神！

親愛的弟兄姊妹！這是神向您所要的，不是你為祂做這做那件事情，祂要的是您的態度，那個態度就是要您以祂為首！生命中的首先次序，要完全，全然的愛祂！如全然的愛祂，一定會全然的順服祂！這會改變我和我們家人的關係，影響我做工作的態度、與四周圍人的關係，祂要的全心、全意、全力的來愛祂！一首短短的歌：要更加親切的來愛祂，這是我們的心。要更清楚的認識祂！這是我們的思想、我們的意志，然後要更加親近的跟隨祂！這是我們的力量！

結論 :

讓我們回到狗的故事，你有位朋友剛剛來到家中，您能不能吩咐這隻狗來對他忠心？您最多叫它不要叫，您沒有辦法叫它對這位朋友忠心，因為狗對主人忠心，因為它知道它的主人會看顧它，它知道它的主人會帶它出去走、給它吃、給它水喝。現在問一下！我們能不能命令一個人要去愛神？一個做媽媽的能不能命令孩子去愛他的爸爸？我能不能命令你去愛這一個人？如果我命令您，您愛的話就不是愛！對不對？因為愛是從心裡發出來的！我們不能命令一個人去愛！但是在我們跟神的關係裡面，法利賽人來問耶穌，最大的誡命是什麼？如果耶穌說，不可以殺人，我們會說好！這個沒有問題，我可以儘量的做到，如果說您要去愛神！也要愛人！就好像給了一個不可能遵守的命令？如果要您去愛的話，您首先要怎麼樣？首先要被愛，您來替我完成這個句字，我們愛神！因為祂先愛我，所以我們愛祂！祂透過供應我們所需要的，祂的愛，祂要跟我們在一起，經歷祂給我們的平安及恩典。祂也知道我們做不到，所以祂差祂的愛子耶穌來，為我們的罪而死。在祂的死亡裡，祂赦免了我們的罪，好叫我們能與神和平相處。

我們往往不能盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主祢的神。是否是因為我們往往忘記了神對我們的愛 ? 如果每次您來聚會、敬拜，都對你說要愛神，今天就有好幾首您要愛上帝的詩歌，這是好慘酷的事，每次您唱的時候，您就體會到做不到，每一次您來都被提醒要愛上帝！這是好慘酷的事！因我們不能全心來愛祂。我今天不是又要提醒您要愛上帝，今天需要您做的，要您停一下，在您忙碌的生活裡，來默想祂對您的愛！祂如何透過耶穌基督的愛來愛我們，祂怎麼透過您生命來表示對您的愛。因祂先愛了您、愛我。我曾問過您們：「最近是什麼時候，您的心被神的愛所觸摸？。我不說您聽過一篇神愛您的信息，而是最近什麼時候，您的心被祂的愛觸摸？只有當我們抓住祂對我們愛有何等的深，我們才可以去愛祂！只有我們抓住了祂對我們的愛是何等的廣大，我們才可以開始在生命中以祂為首先。讓我們深深感受祂的愛，才能推動我們去順服祂！

我們知道，全心全意的愛神是何等的困難，各樣的事情都會分散我們注意力，疾病、經濟的不穩定、不愉快的遭遇都能使我們不容易全心全意的去愛祂。要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主祢的神！這最高的律法，與其他的律法一樣，只不過是反映我們的軟弱，我們越熟悉這條命令，越看見自己的不足，因此是何等需要來到祂的面前！一次一次的來到祂面前向祂承認我們的罪、悔改，求祂饒恕我們。我們來到祂面前，告訴祂我們何等需要祂的恩典來幫助我們，全心、全性、全意、全力來愛祂！

Date:   06/28/09

Text:   Matthew 22:34-38

Title:   First Priority

Theme: Since the creator God has first loved us, His children are to respond by loving him.

Introduction:

  In one commentary, the author asked: if Jesus were to go to a pet store, what animal would he bring home? Would it be a cat or a dog? Most likely it would be a dog. (Now, I don't want to start a fight with the cat lovers among us. I will be nice to cats in another sermon. But this morning please don't tune me off because of dogs. ) The cat would come and go as it likes. When you come home, instead of coming to you, you have to look for it. Have you ever tried to tell a cat to stay, sit, roll over or shake hands? You have never heard of a cat's obedient school. A dog is different. When your car is at the drive way, it would start barking, and the moment you open the door, it climbs all over you. If it won't listen to you, you can even send him to a dog's obedience school. While a cat is known for its independent spirit, a dog is known for its loyalty. When you take care of it, it would love and follow you.

  This morning, we'll take a look at God's relationship with men. Next week we want to take a look at our relationship with the self, followed by our relationship with others.

To understand God's relationship with man, we first need to understand something about God and about ourselves. Take a look at our universe. Up until 1920's we thought that the Milky Way was the universe. And in this galaxy, there are about 200,000 x 10 6 stars. The planet earth is only one out of this vast number of stars. But in recent years, it is revealed that the Milky Way is only one of more than 100,000 x 10 6 galaxies. We have not even looked at how far one star is from another, and one galaxy from the other. Their distance from each other is precise, each star and galaxy is moving in its own orbit in an orderly manner. The slightest deviation can create chaos in the universe. The Laws that govern and direct movement of the stars are so accurate that men on earth can send a space ship to Mars and know its exact date and time of arrival and landing. This number of stars and the vastness of the universe is mind boggling. To think all these have evolved from nothing to where are they are today, does require some elements of faith.

On December 24, 1968, while the spaceship Apollo 8 was orbiting around the moon, the astronauts took turn reading Genesis chapter 1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… These majestic words still echoe in many of our memories. This is the very galaxy we are in. If we look at the millions upon millions of galaxies, billions upon billions of stars, and there is this one star, called the planet earth. Then there are 6.7 billion occupants on this earth. Out of the 6.7 billion, there are you and me. When each one of us stands before this creator God, no word is adequate to describe our finiteness and awe.

Or we can imagine ourselves standing before the El Capitain of Yosemite, or in Grand Teton, Banff park in Canada , the ring of waterfalls in Hawaii , or the mountains in Guilin . We are overwhelmed by the greatness and majesty of God's handiwork.

II •  The creator God established a loving relationship with men.

We are finite before this infinite creator God, but there is more to this. The psalmist writes in psalm 8:4, “ 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Job 7:17,18, “ 17 What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, 18 visit him every morning and test him every moment?” Yes, there is this creator God, high and above, but he also desires a relationship with man. God does not treat man as an inanimate object; he wants a personal relationship.

What is the central focus of this relationship? If we would take the bible and read it from cover to cover, we will face this indelible mark: God's love for men and their response. We have words such as: ….his steadfast love endures forever; 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;… John 3:16, “ 16 "“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ” John 1:14, “ 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Luke 19:10, “ 10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” 1 Timothy 1:15, “…that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Romans 5:8, “ 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The central theme of God's relationship with man is His love. For He loves us so much, that he gave his one and only son to us, so that we can enjoy eternity in his presence.

 III •  The created men respond to God's love by loving Him.

What is Jesus' answer? 22:37, “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 "This is the great and first commandment." 39 "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 40 "On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus summarized the 10 commandments by telling us to love God and men. We notice it is not something we do or don't do, but a matter of attitude in life. Why is loving God so important? John Calvin wrote that Jesus could have said our first duty is to ‘serve the lord' or to ‘obey the lord' or to ‘fear the lord' or to ‘proclaim God's love to all the world'. Why did he say ‘to love the Lord'? Calvin went on to explain that only the free service of our wills is acceptable to Him. Ultimately the man who comes to obey God will love him first….God will not have the forced obedience of men, but wishes their service to be free and spontaneous.

Let's take a closer at this command: Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. In Mark it also adds with all your strength. This means that we are to love God will our entire being: heart, mind (will) and strength. When we love him completely, we are also to obey his teachings completely.

We're to love God with all of our heart and soul. This means that we embrace him in our deepest convictions and commitments. In the deepest part of my being, my emotions and feeling, he is the most important person in life. If so, then I would not knowingly do anything that will displease him. I think of the grandparents. They are so proud of their grandchildren, who are the love of their love, that they would carry their pictures wherever they go, showing them off. If God occupies the center of our lives, then we too would carry Him around and show him to our friends.

We're to love God with all our mind. Our relationship with God is more than the emotions, for it also include our mind, our thinking. We will use our mind, our thoughts to understand his work in our lives, both past and present; and we will dedicate our future plans and goals to him. We'll use our mind to think and understand his grace and observe the objective facts of his handiwork in our lives. We'll use our minds to think through issues and biblical principles and apply them to our daily lives. Faith in God never means shutting of my thinking faculty. The more we see and experience his work in and among us, the more we want to love and stay close to him.

We're to love God with all our strength. When I love him with my heart and mind, I also will do whatever I can to demonstrate this love for him. Remember when you first fall in love with that very special person? You would do whatever you could for him/her. You would use your savings to buy that train ticket and travelled 2200 miles to see her. You will use whatever money you have to buy that flower, picture frame, teddy bear or tie. You will go out of your way to pick her up and patiently wait for her without any complaints. You will do whatever is asked of you. You love him/her with all your strength.

Several weeks ago, I also shared with you how some ministers after getting home, simply fell onto their bed and slept. They gave all their physical strength to God. I think of many of you, especially the elders and deacons serving in this and other churches. While the members are enjoying the time spent with family members, you have to attend different kinds of meetings for the sake of God's church. Yes, you may complain of too many meetings, but you do this out of your love for God.

Jesus wants us to love God with all of our faculties, our entire being. He is to be the love of our heart, the focus of our thoughts and the object of our service. I have shared this with you on different occasions. In recent years, God has given me opportunities to serve some churches in china. When I go there, they would always respectfully say to me “ ????? ” Many of you have also said that to me. Yes, in a way the time spent there was intense and tiring. Yet when I see what the students have to go through, mine is literally nothing. Some of them have to travel on train or bus for over 12 hours to get to the training site. They have to sleep next to each other on the floor in a small bedroom. 40 people have to share two bathrooms that are nothing close to what we have here. Many ministers worked hard even though with a salary barely enough to pay their rent. The believers take advantage of every situation to share the good news with others. One person shared with me that every year he and his wife would organize a tour via the internet. The participants would meet at one location and spend a week or two to visit some cities or scenic areas. They would use the opportunity to get to know each other and share their Christian faith at the appropriate time. He said during the last 3 years, while on the trip or after the trip, 3 had come to know Christ. This is vacation with a purpose. They are intense Christians. The same individual, cannot stand the corruption and bribery rampant in the construction business that he quit and started his own company. They are serious about their faith and they love the lord dearly. I often tell the students that I am the one benefited when I come to teach. Their love for the lord put me to shame. This is the main reason why the churches in china continue to grow. In them, I have seen how they love the lord with all their hearts, soul, mind and strength.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is what God wants of us. Not what we do or do not do, but that of an attitude. The attitude that He is the first priority in our lives. That first priority is to love him completely; loving him with our entire being. When we love him completely, we'll also begin to obey him completely. This will affect our relationship with our family, the way we work and do research and how we relate to people around us. He wants nothing less from us.

Conclusion:

  We come back to the dog story. Can you tell your dog to be loyal to the friend that just came into your house? I don't think so. Why is the dog loyal to his master? Because he knows the master cares for him by taking him out for walks and giving food and water.

Now, can one be commanded to love? Can a mother order the child to love his/her father? Can I tell you to go love this person? If you love because I tell you to, its really not love, right? It is impossible to command someone to love.   

  Isn't this true in our relationship with God? It is hard or impossible to love Him because he has commanded us to do so. Instead, we love, because he has first loved us. He loved us by providing daily necessities. He loves us and wants us to enjoy the peace, joy and grace in him. He knows we cannot do this on our own. So he sent his son to us and died for us. In his death, he carried our sins and forgives us, so we can be at peace with God.

Why do we sometimes find it hard to love God with our heart, mind and strength? Can it be that we may have forgotten his love for us in the first place? Instead of pounding on ourselves that we are to love God with all that we have, maybe we all need to do is to pause, in the midst of our busy schedules and activities, and meditate on how much He has first loved us. Only when we grasped the depth of his love, then will we begin to love him. Only when we have grasped the breadth of his love, then we will begin to have Him as our first priority in life.

  We all know how difficult it is to love God completely. There are so many things around us that distract us from having Him as our first priority. This law, like other laws, often reveal our weaknesses. The more we know this law, the more we see our inadequacies. Thus the more we need to come to him, repent and ask for forgiveness. We come to him telling him how much we need his grace to help us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.