Mark 12:28–34
Be Still: Lord Jesus, still my heart today. Help me to listen deeply to your Word and to respond with love for you and for others. Amen.
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength....and love your neighbour as yourself.' (vv29,30)
Read: Mark 12:28–34
Encounter: A teacher of the law asked Jesus which commandment was the most important. Jesus’ response is breathtakingly simple, yet utterly profound: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength – and love your neighbour as yourself.’
In a world filled with rules, traditions, and endless noise, Jesus cuts through with clarity. The essence of faith is not found in performance or ritual but in love. Love that is wholehearted toward God. Love that overflows toward others. This love does not merely refer to feelings but to a life oriented toward God in every thought, word, and action – and toward others with compassion and selflessness.
Notice the teacher’s reaction. He agrees and adds, ‘To love God and neighbour is more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ Jesus commends him, saying he is ‘not far from the kingdom of God.’ True closeness to God is not about religious appearance or outward conformity but about embodying love in a way that transforms both the individual and the community around them. It is a love that challenges pride, injustice, and indifference.
Apply: Where in your life is love being crowded out? Perhaps stress, busyness, ambition, or resentment has dulled your heart. Jesus calls you back to simplicity – love God, love others. What might it look like today to realign your heart, mind, and strength towards him? Could it be speaking an encouraging word, offering forgiveness, or listening deeply to someone in need? Love expressed in action is the tangible fruit of our faith and even small gestures ripple outward in ways we may never see.
Devote: Father, teach me to love you with all that I am. May my love for you be genuine and may it spill over into love for those around me. Shape me by your Spirit into someone who lives out your greatest commandment not through obligation but through a heart transformed by your presence.