Wednesday, May 03, 2023

Mark 12:38 – 54 —– One of the legal experts heard their dispute and saw how well Jesus answered them. He came over and asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” ²⁹ Jesus replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, ³⁰ and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ³¹ The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself.  No other commandment is greater than these.” ³² The legal expert said to him, “Well said, Teacher. You have truthfully said that God is one and there is no other besides him. ³³ And to love God with all of the heart, a full understanding, and all of one’s strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is much more important than all kinds of entirely burned offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered with wisdom, he said to him, “You aren’t far from God’s kingdom.” After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Are we there yet?  Am I there yet?  John Wesley taught us: holiness or Entire Sanctification is loving God and loving our neighbor.  That implies Staying in Love with God through the means of grace, Doing Good by actively showing kindness and love to others AND Doing No Harm by not sinning against others.  This is my destination in Christ.  Yet, I struggle.  I get off course.  I run out of gas before I arrive.  I’m just not there.  I take comfort in Paul’s “pressing on” (Phil 2) and Wesley’s “earnestly striving for it.”  Yet, I know there’s something more.  The destination before me is a glorious place, a glorious way to live.  Almost!  Just keep going!  Oh may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun!!