What Matters Most in 2005 . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed, although a bit uncomfortably at times, Pastor Keith's message yesterday! In my notes, his message will be titled: "My 2005 Challenge." What was the gist of his message? I took from it that I need to have a willful intention to obey Jesus' answer to the question "What commandment is the greatest of all?"

I liked how the Amplified Bible spells out His answer…

Mark 12:29-31 (Amplified Bible)
Jesus answered, "The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:28-31 (New American Standard)
One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"
Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Needless to say, I was certainly challenged. It was great how Pastor tied this in with the following passage. For we women, the oh, so familiar Mary & Martha account: the vocal, busy worker and the silent, seated listener.

Lord? Don't you care???

Luke 10:38-42
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

What one thing is necessary?
To love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
How will that be for you?
How will that be for me?

May 2005 be a year of finding out! May we pray for and encourage each other to intentionally pursue obeying this commandment!

Now I have to figure out the fasting thing.

Fall in love with God!