I want to be different. I want to be all-in for Jesus. I want my life to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. I don’t want to just take up space on this planet. Jesus went to the ends of the earth for me. He gave everything for me. He pursued me. He called me out and set me apart. His Word tells me that I am not my own. I was purchased from the slave block where I was a slave to sin and released into the ownership of the Father, who loves and cares for me. How can I now live for me? I belong to Him.
In Luke 10:27 Jesus spoke these words:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'” (NIV).
Let’s think about what it means to love God with all our hearts. We may say that we love God, but are we truly loving Him with ALL our hearts? The Psalms give us a great lesson on expressing our love and devotion to God.
We best express our hearts through worship.
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:1-2).
We fix our thoughts on Jesus, meditating on His truth and His goodness.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
We spend time in His presence, seeking a pure heart.
“Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” Psalm 24:3-4).
We ask God to examine our hearts and show us anything that is not of Him.
“Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and mind” (Psalm 26:2).
We ask forgiveness and seek His cleansing when we do sin.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
We turn away from those things that would distract us from seeking God.
“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).
We ask God to lead our hearts to follow Him.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
When we love God with all our hearts, He will begin to make our hearts like His. We will love like He loves, see what He sees, hurt when He hurts, rejoice when He rejoices. He will place His desires in our hearts.
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
I can’t think of anything I would rather have than God’s desires in my heart. And it is possible! Don’t read those verses above and think, “I could never do all of that!” Do you know who wrote all those verses? King David, a man who sinned greatly, yet he was called a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). Loving God with all your heart isn’t about perfection. It’s about pursuit. What do you pursue most in life? Can you imagine having an epitaph that reads “She was a woman after God’s own heart”?
God doesn’t look at the outward appearance. God looks at the heart. Do you want to love God with all your heart? Then surrender your heart to Him. Worship Him freely, think of Him often, seek Him daily, ask Him to search you, turn from every sin, and love Him wholeheartedly. Let nothing come between you and Your Lord–no habit, hobby, or hindrance.
And seek a heart like His.
Take a few minutes now and tell Jesus you love Him.