Believe In Your Heart
Author: Stephen Weller
1,118 words, 6 minutes read time
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV)
What is the greatest commandment of all? That was a question asked Jesus by a lawyer and Jesus responded with: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV). Jesus gives the same answer in Luke 10:27. In Mark 12:30 is added “with all your strength” after “mind.” I point this out because in each of the answers given by Jesus, the word “mind” replaced the word “might” used in the Deuteronomy text. In Mark the word “might” became “with all your mind and with all your strength.”
This great love which we are to have is to be directed toward God. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, one is to love him more than anyone else (Luke 14:26). We are to love no one or anything more that we are to love God. The essence of Christianity is how we love God and how everything we do displays our love for him. Our victory in the end will relate to how we loved God and others.
The “heart” is the inner nature of the man, including his intellectual, emotional, and reasoning; the “soul” is the personality, the entire self-consciousness; and the “might” is the sum of the energies, bodily and mental. Another way of saying it is to say the “heart” is the seat of the understanding; the “soul” as the center of will and personality; and the “might” as representing the outgoings and energies of all the vital powers.
In obtaining greater clarity on the word translated “might” one could look at the interlinear for both the Deuteronomy and Mark text. The Hebrew word from which might comes is described in Strong’s Hebrew 3966 and includes such words as exceedingly, might, abundance, and force from which we can get might and strength. When the Hebrew was translated into Greek for the Mark verse, the Hebrew word from which might came was translated into two parts giving mind and strength. We usually think of strength in terms of physical, but the translators wanted to ensure that we also consider mental strength as important and so include the word mind.
Lord, when you say 37 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37 – 39 ESV), I find it interesting that when loving you with my total being there is still enough love left to love my neighbor as myself. It seems to be a paradox that when I give all to you there is still enough left to give to my neighbor.
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Summary Theme
Wholehearted Love for God as the Foundation of Covenant Life
Summary Paragraph
Deuteronomy 6:5 presents the central command of covenant faith: to love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and might. This verse calls for total devotion; an undivided affection that encompasses one’s inner being (heart), life and identity (soul), and strength or resources (might). It is not merely emotional love, but a committed, obedient, and comprehensive allegiance to God. This command serves as the foundation for all other laws and instructions, emphasizing that true obedience flows from a deep and abiding love for God. It defines the relationship between God and His people as one of wholehearted devotion, shaping both personal faith and communal life.
Discussion Questions with Extended Answers:
- What does it mean to love God with all your heart, soul, and might?
Answer:
Loving God with all your heart refers to the center of your thoughts, desires, and will, placing Him above all competing affections. Loving Him with all your soul points to your entire life and identity being devoted to Him, recognizing that your existence belongs to God. Loving Him with all your might involves your strength, energy, resources, and actions, actively living out your devotion. Together, these terms emphasize total commitment, leaving no part of life untouched. This love is not partial or seasonal; it is comprehensive and continuous, shaping every decision, priority, and pursuit. - Why is love for God placed at the center of the law?
Answer:
Love is the root from which true obedience grows. Without love, obedience becomes mere duty or external compliance. God desires a relationship, not just rule-following. When a person genuinely loves God, they naturally seek to honor Him, trust Him, and obey His commands. This is why this command is foundational; it transforms the law from a list of requirements into an expression of relationship. Later, Jesus Christ affirms this as the greatest commandment, showing its enduring significance. - How does this command challenge divided loyalties in life?
Answer:
This verse leaves no room for divided devotion. It confronts the tendency to love God partially while also giving ultimate allegiance to other things such as wealth, success, comfort, or relationships. By calling for “all” the heart, soul, and might, God demands exclusivity; He must be first above everything else. This challenges believers to examine where their true priorities lie and to remove anything that competes with their devotion to God. It calls for a reordering of life so that God is central in every area. - In what ways can this love for God be practically expressed daily?
Answer:
Practically, loving God is expressed through obedience to His Word, consistent prayer, worship, and a life that reflects His character. It is seen in choosing righteousness over sin, trusting Him in difficult circumstances, and using one’s time, talents, and resources for His purposes. It also involves loving others, since love for God naturally overflows into love for people. Daily decisions, how one speaks, acts, and prioritizes, become opportunities to demonstrate this wholehearted devotion. - How does this command shape the identity of God’s people?
Answer:
This command defines God’s people as those who are wholly devoted to Him. Their identity is not based on external markers alone, but on an internal reality of love and allegiance. It creates a distinct community whose values, actions, and priorities reflect their relationship with God. This love becomes the driving force behind their obedience, their worship, and their witness to others. It establishes a covenant identity rooted in relationship rather than mere ritual, setting them apart as a people who belong entirely to the Lord.
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