Luke 10:25-42
Loving God, Loving Neighbor

Pastor Todd helped us take a fresh look at two familiar passages: Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan and the story of the two sisters, Martha and Mary. The headings in our Bibles lead us to think of these two episodes as completely independent, but Todd taught that they are connected.

A lawyer, an expert in the Mosaic law, tried to debate and discredit Jesus by asking him, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus turned the question back on him, asking what the law he knew so well says. The lawyer got it right: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. The two parts of the command are connected, and their order is significant. We can’t do the second without the first. We can’t love others unless we love God wholly. If we just try harder to be like the Good Samaritan, we are acting in our flesh and will fail. The story of Mary, sister of Martha, gives us insight into how to love the Lord our God with everything we are: Sit at Jesus’ feet, listening intently. For us, that means reading and pondering his word, daily. And not just the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The whole Bible is about Jesus. Lord, help me keep my priorities straight today – to love You and know You better by paying attention to Your word and then to respond by sharing Your love with people around me.

I am thankful for a small group that keeps me in the word of God, providing accountability. I know that some Christians follow a daily Scripture reading plan that keeps them in the word. But it is easy to treat Bible reading and study as a chore, a routine, a box to be checked off. Mary wasn’t listening to Jesus so she could cross it off her To Do list! Holy Spirit, draw me and help me actively engage with the Scripture before me today. I want to encounter You, the King of the universe, through its pages. What an awesome privilege!

That time with the King is our first priority. When He has drawn us close and filled us up, we can turn to the second part of the command. Lord, show me a neighbor to love today. Show me how. It probably will not be a beaten and bloody man in a ditch. It may turn out to be as simple as noticing a driver trying without success to pull out into traffic and sacrificing a snippet of time to let him in. As God gives us eyes to see and we respond to His promptings with obedience, I think our circle of neighbors will grow.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert

* This is an abbreviated version of our weekly prayer blog. For the full version, including congregation prayer requests, subscribe  .