The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 11 July 2021 – TOPIC: THE SUMMARY OF THE LAW
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TOPIC: THE SUMMARY OF THE LAW
READ: MARK 12:28-34(NKJV)28. Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”29. Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments [is:] ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.30. ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This [is] the first commandment.31. “And the second, like [it, is] this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”32. So the scribe said to Him, “Well [said,] Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.33. “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”34. Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.*THE MESSAGE:*In today’s passage, a scribe testing Jesus like others had done, asked Him which is the first commandment of all. Jesus summarised this into two: (i) Love God with all your heart, mind and strength, (ii) Love your neighbour as yourself. This shows that if anybody truly love God and His neighbour, such a person has really obeyed God in everything. He is regarded as a perfect individual.If you truly love God, Whom you cannot see, then you would love your neighbours whom you can see, regardless of their faults. Loving your neighbour means you are quick to forgive them whenever they wrong you. You are always kind and good to them just as God Himself is always showing you mercy even when you do not deserve it. Loving our neighbours truly means not doing to them what we also would not want them to do to us. If we keep this law, the world would be a peaceful and good place to live in. If you say you love or serve God, but hate any person, you are regarded as a liar and a murderer (1 John 3:15;4:20).*PRAYER:* Dear Lord, help me to love You with all my heart and my neighbour as myself in Jesus’ Name. Amen