Several times, I have had people write, or say to me,

“I want to live my life for Christ, but I don’t know how. It seems too difficult.”

It is, and it isn’t, and at base, living for Christ involves living, minute by minute, doing the things that are put before us.

The next three installments of Commonsense Christianity will address three practical, tangible things we can do to live our faith — and they’re not all inclusive. The Bible is filled with practical application to living, but let’s just start with three, and today, we’ll focus on number one — literally, number one — the most important commandment of all:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

In the Bible, when something is repeated on a regular basis, it’s generally because it’s important, and this statement is made by Jesus, who adds “with all your mind,” in Luke 10:27, Matthew 22:37, and Mark 12:30.

Let’s apply this practically:

1) “With all your mind,” implies thinking, and the more we think about God, the more He is in our mind. Control and discipline your thoughts — when you’re tempted to worry, envy your neighbor, gossip in your head, or conduct mental conversations with your boss in which you systematically slash his ego to ribbons — think about God instead.

2) It’s easier to think about God the more you know about Him. Pick up the Bible and start reading — somewhere, anywhere — and recognize that every word in this book gives you information about God. The more you read, the more knowledge you glean. The more knowledge you have, the more you have to draw upon for thought.

3) As you think more on God, be open to what you can do for Him involving your strength, resources, money, talents, and skills. These don’t have to be big, impressive tasks. Simply smiling at someone you pass in the grocery aisles, or opening the door for another person, works. Start small, and be open to more as it happens.

4) Don’t worry about if you “love God enough.” He loves us first, and as we accept that love, ponder it, wonder at it, He gently teaches us how to love Him back. We are children, and in the same way wise adults are patient with little ones, our gracious Father is the wisest adult of all.

5) Ask God to help you. Great men, and women, throughout the Bible have relied upon God for the big, and little things, in their lives. Fulfilling this commandment is no small thing, and we can’t do it on our own. But when we ask Him, “Show me what this means — literally, and spiritually — guide me,” He is faithful to answer.

If this seems too simple, it is, and it isn’t — in the same way that young children don’t start out running, neither do we. We start out small, our hands in the hand of a big God, and learn incrementally.

Thank You

Thank you for joining me at Commonsense Christianity, where I encourage Christians to seek the God of love, mercy, grace, peace, and joy.

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