Is This Possible?

Matthew 12:29-31 says this:   Jesus replied, "The most important commandmendt is this: 'Listen O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength' (Which is taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-5) The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  No other commandment is greater than these."

I've thought through this many times, and the question that usually comes up in my mind is simply "Is this command that Jesus is telling us actually humanly possible?"  Can any human on this earth love God with ALL their heart and ALL their soul and ALL their mind and ALL their strength?  As you can see I have emphasized the word "all" because I just can't get over the fact that someone could love the LORD with everything in them at every possible moment in their life.  There are times I can admit where I've gotten maybe a little upset at a driver (possibly from Indiana) for cutting me off or testing out their brakes in front of me for no apparent reason.  There are other times where I honestly have loved other things more than the Creator of the universe.  I do not view myself as anyone perfect by any means, but I'm sure there are pastors (who are perfect...) who have had times where they have not followed this commandment either.

So what the heck Jesus?  What are we supposed to do?  You told us to love you with EVERYTHING and you knew that it wasn't possible by any  means to do this.  You know how sinful this world is and you give us a commandment like that?  I'm gonna have to lock myself in a room with a Bible and not interact with anyone for this commandment to have any hope of being obeyed.

Or do I?

When Christ (the Son of God) came to earth, He did it so that we may have a chance to know Him intimately and to be the once-and-for-all sacrifice for us so that we would not die, but have eternal life in Him.  Without Him, we don't have a shot in hell (well... actually we would), but you get my point.  We are constantly reminded how sinful we are and how much we need a Savior.  Timothy tells us that "Christ came into the world to save sinners-- and I am the worst of them all." (1Timothy 1:15)  Even the Apostle Paul tells us that he doesn't live up to Christ's standards in Romans 7:15, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it.  Instead, I do what I hate."  So if Timothy and Paul, two pretty amazing men of God couldn't get it exactly right, then how can we?

God sometimes gives us things to do to make us realize that we can't do them on our own.  We NEED Him.  He certainly doesn't need us.  Only with Christ is anything possible.  In fact is says in Phillipians 4:13 that we can do everything with Christ who gives us strength.  With Christ nothing is impossible, for He is the Creator and sustainer of life.

So do we simply wave the white flag and give up on this commandment?  Of course not! {Thanks Paul ;-)}  I think we all need to take a bath in a big tub of grace and thank God for everything He gives us each day.  In addition to that we need to try to love the Lord our God with all of everything, and when we fall, realize that it is because of Christ that anything is possible at all.

Thank you God for helping us out with this sin thing that has been getting to us for the past couple of thousands of years.  You Da Man.

-PJC