The Greatest Commandment

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The greatest commandment that God gave us is to love God with our whole life.  He said love Him first before we try to care for the orphans, help the sick, and serve others.  Through God’s love, through our relationship with him, the other commandments that God has given us will be fulfilled.  In Jeremiah 29: 12, it says that if we seek God first, than all things shall be added unto you.  If we seek God first, then God will continue to work in your life and in the lives of others through you. 

Before coming here to Sierra Leone, I went to the International House of Prayer Conference with a few good friends.  One woman began talking about how she had served overseas for some time.  During her time, she had not committed her life to her relationship with God; rather she had committed her life to serving him.  She quickly got burnt out and had to leave the country she was serving in. 

Since this story, I have learned how easy it is to stray from this commandment.  However God clearly says that this is the most important thing for us to do.  When we die and reach the gates of heaven, God is not going to ask us, how many people did you save?  How many people did you give money to?   How much money did you tithe at church each week?  He is going to ask, did you spend time with me?  Did you talk to me?  Did you listen to me?  Did you put me first in your life?   Did you serve me first before all other things?

It is easy to get caught up in life; it is easy to take time from our relationship with God.  But I have learned that I cannot do anything without that relationship.  It is him who I complain to, who I listen to, who I take my frustrations to, who I praise.  Through my time with him, peace is found.  Peace inside my soul, like I have never experienced before.   Peace that I desperately need every day after an always-eventful day at school.  

As Christians, we all have a purpose for being here on this earth.  God has given each one of us gifts to use for his glory.  But ultimately, we have the choice to choose how we will use those gifts he has given us.  As I have been teaching here in Kabala, I have seen how as your relationship with God grows, so will his ability to work through you.   As you grow with God, you will be able to effectively serve others more and more using the gifts that God has given you.  And as you serve others, God’s love will shine through you more and more. 

I think one of the things I value most about this relationship with God is peace.  When you live in a place where you are trying to decipher cultural norms and balance it with your own culture, it can be very frustrating.  It is easy to get angry quickly.  I have found this when interacting with others and while teaching.  But as the Holy Spirit is working in me, I have found peace in those situations.  One of the teachers told me the other day, that he had never heard me get angry at a person or "vex" in Krio.  There have been many times in my head that I have wanted to just shout at someone who was bothering me, but I thank God that he has filled me with peace.

I have also found joy through my relationship with God.  During all times, whether I am sweeping our compound, or cleaning the floor, or teaching my stubborn class III students, God has brought me joy.  There are many things throughout the day that must be done but sometimes I get tired of doing.  Some days, I absolutely hate going to the market to buy food to cook.  But I thank God that somehow, even through those monotonous life routines, there is always joy.    

As we continue to live, each of us with a different purpose, let us continue to focus on the greatest commandment.  Let us love God with our whole heart.  Through our relationship with God, all things will be added unto you.  God will begin to work through your life and bless you in ways you could have never imagined.  But even though God is at the center of our lives, we will still meet up hard times, we will still have trials, but because God is at the center of our lives, we will overcome.  He will give us the strength to make it through the trials with joy in our hearts. 


Me; I have my own way in which I spend time with God, in which I put time into that relationship.  You; how do you spend time with God?  How do you talk to him?  How do you listen to him?  How do you share your life with him?

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 26, 2014 at 10:40 AM

    I'm getting caught up on your posts, Sarah. You are so right that are "chief end" is to know God. As in the way we know our husband or wife or mother or father, the person closest to us.
    You may want to read "The Locust Effect" by Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission. He goes into much detail re the background of laws that discriminate against the poor, the effects of the lack of the Rule of Law, and how Christians are now working on this aspect when they do development work in many poor areas. Not "happy" reading, but worthwhile.

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