The Greatest Thing

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love…” Eden Ahbez

I thought I knew everything – then I discovered, I knew nothing. Perhaps, that was the beginning of it all… Being “born and raised” in “the church” I had a good handle on “religion.” You could “give me that old time religion” any day. Although, I can’t necessarily say that it was, “good enough for me.”

I had a pastor that used to say, “You’re going to run into God one day, I just pray that it’s on the right terms.” It felt so ominous – in my mind, God felt almost menacing, or sinister… But wait, 1 John 4:8 KJV “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.“

“…for God is love.”

“…God is love.”

One thing – for as “churched” as I was my entire life – I think I missed out on, was knowing that God is love.

I remember running. I can’t really remember if I was running away or towards ? But, I was running as though my life depended on it. And, you know what? I ran right into God! It could have been on the right or wrong terms… I don’t really know? But, rather than running into a great, big, scary God, determined to punish me… I ran into a loving Savior and my entire life changed in an instant!

The other morning I had a conversation with my kiddos, about a client whom’s life was recently changed – she experienced the love of God in a beautiful way. “Nunca quiero ser como era antes.” (“I never want to be the same.”) She shared with me through tears, recognizing God’s love for her, for us – it truly is a beautiful thing.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 22:37-39 KJV

I have realized that loving doesn’t always come easy. To love God with everything within me – to love others as much as I love me… Well, that means, I have to actually love me… Right? To love God with all that I have… To place nothing above my love for Him… Well… I feel like this has to take an intentional effort – and if I’m honest, for me, it isn’t always the easiest thing… It definitely takes intentional effort and a heart that desires God…

Then, the biggest kicker came when I realized the second commandment “love my neighbor as myself” meant I needed to actually love myself?! I mean seriously?! Even kids struggle with this one… What made this easier was following the first commandment, then the second just sort of fell in line… We are, after all, made in the image of God – what’s not to love? Besides, loving Him – well, He teaches us how to love. And that is the greatest gift/lesson of all.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love…” Eden Ahbez

*Image by KayBee05