It is In the Heart

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:28-34a

The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

Look at what Mark 12 reveals: Jesus commands us to love, so we must have the capacity to love. Indeed, we have all had an entire heart of love this entire time. You do not have to go thru some journey to find it—it has been right there in your heart all along. Therefore, the question is not how do you get it, but rather how do you direct your God-given love. If you direct your love to something on Earth, you will throw away your love. But if you direct your love towards God, you will keep it in your heart and it will actually grow. If your love is towards idols, you will be dying because life will not return to you. It is a clear command all summed up in the Royal Law…that is life!

For more on this topic, see History of the Love of God, Volume II.