Tag Archives: MAtthew 22:37-39

If you had just one

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It is an astounding time in which we live. In some parts of the world that are far remote to our way of thinking, life goes on day by day as it has for generations without change and little access to potentially life changing information and innovation. In our world of technology, change is what’s on the menu. The world is literally available at our fingertips. Need a recipe, instructions for how to fix nearly anything, or need to make a reservation for a destination across the world? Presto, your answer is dished up right away.

My grandmother, when she wanted to read a passage of scripture, would go to the table where the old family bible sat and carefully undo the brass clasps that protected it’s pages.

In contrast, we can access the bible “online” wherever we go. Don’t remember where to find a verse? No problem. Just “Google” a word or partial phrase and multiple results will appear. Click on one and you are immediately taken directly to the passage, available in whatever version or language you want.

I sometimes wonder what effect such readily available information will have on our abilities to remember things for ourselves. Whether it’s a phone number or a bible verse, a machine remembers it for us.

I’ve recently been asking people to imagine a life where such abundance of information was not readily available; where political pressures prohibit access to certain books, or that place in your life where a sudden stroke or gradual onset of Alzheimer’s robbed you of your ability to access information. If, in that terrible situation, you were somehow able to remember just one name, whose name would it be? If you could remember only one short passage of scripture, which one would you want to always be emblazoned in your mind and heart?

I find it a nearly impossible task. The thought of summarizing all of God’s Word onto a scrap of forbidden paper or having mental capacity to remember only one verse is daunting to say the least. Jesus summed up all the law and the prophets with these few words:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

We could shorten that to a simple yet profound challenge to each of our daily activities: Love God – love others. If you remembered nothing else, how might this simple ‘code’ guide your every day? Galatians 5:6 similarly summarizes my daily and life purpose: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” It reminds me that whatever else is taken away, faith and love remain the essence of life.

Given the challenge, a friend quickly replied with this verse: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” John 11:25-26 If he could remember just one short promise, he wants it to be the one of eternal life offered freely to him by his Lord Jesus.

What about you? Maybe you have a “life verse” you’ve committed to memory that encourages you and continually points you toward your prized goal. Thankfully, we don’t have to choose just one. And while there’s no guarantee we won’t fall victim to some debilitating condition which limits our ability to remember and process the valuable truths and promises, committing one or more of those to memory now will continue to guard your heart and mind even in those days.

God’s Word is the antidote to our woes. It’s how Jesus answered every temptation. Commit it to memory now. Apply it to your daily life and watch how it helps you in times of trouble.

Are you trying to find life balance?

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I had a dream. It was one of those conspiracy theory plots we all laugh about – until we discover them to be actually true. As with many dreams, the details were a bit sketchy by the time daylight arrived. But I remember the phrase “masked intentions.” In this dream I was a “mole” in an organization that promoted itself as a developer of healing medications. But in reality, their goal was to pursue a human genome project that would result in a Nazi-envisioned “perfect race.” I woke up just as I was being interrogated by the company on suspicion of being “the mole,” and before finding out if I was able to get the truth out to the public.

Whew! It was a thriller nightmare that left me exhausted. But it also left me pondering the “masked intentions” of our own lives. I wonder if we say our chief goal is to pursue God and follow his perfect plan for our lives, when in reality we are pursuing our own personal agendas. We hotly pursue profit and fame. Career and passion for personal hobbies consume us to the point people actually identify us by those pursuits. In the meantime, instead of actively pursuing God we find ourselves pursuing our own comforts and ambitions. God, family, and friendships take a second place spot in our agenda. We say, “I wish I had more time for prayer, for family, and time to visit friends who are hurting, but I am so busy!”

It’s a common dilemma. What are we to do? Perhaps our first thought is to try to achieve some sort of balance that results in a little time for what is most important in our lives. But the pursuit of balance often is like juggling too many balls in the air. Inevitably they come crashing down and create more stress that pushes us back to what we do best – pursuing our own interests and agendas.

Rather than pursuing the “perfect life balance,” may I suggest an alternative approach? What seems to make more sense is to focus on life integration. Balance requires finding time to add more into your schedule. An integrative approach to living subjects everything to the one most important thing.  The one most important thing is that which you will be most satisfied achieving at the end of life  and which brings you most enjoyment also at the end of the day.

What is that one most important thing? For most people I visit with, it comes down to faith, family, and friends. Simply stated it’s all about relationships – the only thing we take to heaven with us. So whether we’re at work or play or recharging our batteries by coming quietly before the Lord, our focus is constantly being attuned to our relationships with God and others. It is as Jesus summed up:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

As we integrate this dual command into everything we do, we’re asking,”Is this thing I’m doing, saying, or thinking honoring God? Is it demonstrating my love for others? Is this moving me toward the one most important thing in my life?”

When we are thirsty, we don’t say, “I’ll have some juicy lemons and limes and then have a drink of water.” No, instead we infuse the citrus fruits into the water for a cool refreshing drink. All parts become blended, not balanced and it is this blending that most satisfies us.

If there’s actually a way to achieve life balance, I think you’ll find it in the simple process of integrating – blending – our chief values with your daily activities. It’s found in sediting the goodness of the Lord in all our  activities and thoughts. Don’t be deceived by masked intentions. Be fully satisfied. Enjoy the one integrated life you have to live!