Love The Lord Your God

LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD

a prayer to open

Here’s my heart, Lord. Speak what is true.

Here’s my life, Lord. Speak what is true.

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the LORD.

Search for the LORD and for his strength;

continually seek him.

Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given. . . .

He is the LORD our God.

His justice is seen throughout the land.

He always stands by his covenant—

the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

These first eight verses of today’s psalm give us a road map for loving God: Give thanks. Proclaim God’s greatness. Sing his praises. Tell everyone what God does. Exult in his name. Rejoice! Search for and seek the Lord. Remember what God has done. Remember who he is.

Note in this psalm the absence of offering sacrifices and following a set of rules. These are absent not because of their lack of importance (we learn in the New Testament that God wants our whole lives as a living sacrifice and calls us to holiness) but because if we love God in the way the psalmist instructs here, all else will follow. As we grow in our ability to believe God, to trust in who he is, to see and remember all he has done in our lives and in the world, obedience to his path, thankfulness for his faithfulness, and a surrender of our lives to him will flow naturally. How might our lives be shaped if we regularly practiced the instructions of this psalm?

• Read this passage again slowly. What word or phrase stands out to you? Why do you think that word or phrase speaks to you? What does it say?
• As you read through the list of ways we show our love for God, what comes naturally for you? Which is more difficult? What would help you grow in the area you feel least capable?
• If a friend were to ask you how to love God, what practical counsel would you give?

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to worship you and know you. What a miracle it is that you have acted in my life and in the world in ways that inspire awe and wonder in my heart and mind! Let my mouth always praise you and tell about what you’ve done. Let my life show the world your goodness and grace. Forgive me when I forget to be grateful for or content with what you’ve given me. Center my heart on you, and allow me to love my neighbor as myself. Amen.