15. LOOKING INTO JESUS’ HEART : HIS LOVE FOR GOD

The first thing that strikes us when we look at Jesus, is that he embodies the way God wants us to live. (See meditation 13).

He summarises the divine criteria for human life as follows: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets (i.e. the Old Testament) hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40).

True and pure love is the essence of Jesus’ life, and it is in that way that he reflects the heart of his heavenly Father for “God is love...” (1 John 4:16).

The apostle John tells us that Jesus’ first coming into the world is the greatest demonstration of God’s love: “God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

In his earthly life and sacrificial death, Jesus showed us how true and pure love is displayed in practice.

In our meditation today we want to look at God’s first commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” ( Matthew 22:37-38).

How did Jesus live up to that commandment?

Jesus said of himself: “... I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.” (John 14:31).

He told the listening crowd: “... I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.” (John 6:38)

To his disciples Jesus openly explained what drove him: “My food ... is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34). In meditation 5 we saw what that meant in practice.

In his wholehearted and self-sacrificing obedience to his heavenly Father, Jesus showed us how we should love God “with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.” That is the life God created us for.


All Bible verses are quoted from the ‘New Living Translation’, except Matthew 22:37-40 and John 4:34 (‘New International Version’).