Corona Devo 343

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  ~Galatians 6:2

Before we can help to "carry each other’s burdens", we have to know/understand/receive the law of Christ.  

And before we can fulfill the law of Christ, we have to know what it is.  

And guess what?  We are not the first ones to want clarification on this. 

28 One of the teachers of religious law...asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.  ~Mark 12:28-34

It's a great little exchange between Jesus and the "religious teacher", and while it boils things down for us, I feel it still leaves a lot up in the air.  Love God first and wholly, and then love our neighbor. And if we can do this/live this, then it is more pleasing to God than our "offerings and sacrifices" (Mark 12:33).   I get it.

But, I also...I don't always get it.  How does this "shake out" in our real lives?  What does it look like to love God and then love our neighbor?

We need to get this, because if Jesus said "This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices" (Mark 12:33), then we do want to get it.  

I've been chewing on these verses and the "big picture" of loving God first and fully and then loving our neighbor.  I want to understand as the man understood (Mark 12:34).  

In the hustle of daily life I think I may be catching a glimpse of God's gist.  

In seeking God, we read His Word and study His ways.  We sing songs to Him and we pray.  Those things are foundations that we purposefully (and imperfectly) lay-down in our lives.  Through these methods we are attempting to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30).

And when situations arise, a crisis occurs, or tragedy strikes one of our "neighbors", then these Godly foundations undergo a metamorphosis into loving actions directed toward those who are in need.  We must first love the Lord your God, and that transforms into Lov(ing) your neighbor as yourself when the need arises.

Are we getting this?  

In relation to others, this can be restated as "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  (Galatians 6:2).  

But how does this "shake out" in our real lives?  What does this look like?   

I've received it from others "looking like" a card or email filled with heartfelt sentiments, chocolate-dipped fruits delivered to our door, a complimentary email from a teacher, or a friend showing up when I needed one.  

I've seen Carry(ing) each other’s burdens "shake out" as mom's praying tearfully over a recent loss while the ground shakes as our kids run and chatter together, engaged in their own sort of therapy.  Inviting or being invited over for supper with friends, receiving a care-package in the mail, impromptu hot fudge sundaes delivered to a neighbor and the delightful visit that ensues...these are ways that we carry each other’s burdens.  The love of the Lord spills over from our hearts to form these acts, and they can "shake out" in a million other ways too--you have your own examples, and let's create some new ones today.

This unique cycle and metamorphosis of first lov(ing) the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30), and then Lov(ing) your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31) is (I think) how we fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

Heavenly Father, we pray for your patience, insight and leading over the metamorphosis of loving you and that love becoming love for our neighbor.  Show us how to carry each other’s burdens... by fulfill(ing) the law of Christ.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com/


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