Do you love me? This question has been asked by all people throughout history. This question is asked between couples, family members, and even friends. Sometimes we are thinking about romantic love, brotherly love, or familial love. Behind this question is a deeper question, “Am I important to you?” or “Am I the top priority in your life?” It is a natural human desire to want to be loved by another. But when Jesus asks Peter this question in John 21, He is asking in the context of agape love. Agape love is sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good. It is a love greater than all other loves. This is the kind of love that God extends to us through His Son’s willful actions on the cross. There is no greater love than God’s love because God Himself is love (1 John 4:8). But in this exchange between Jesus and Peter, we see that God wants us to love Him in return. He wants to be first in our lives. So, when Jesus answers the question, “What is the greatest commandment?”, He answers, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).
To fully grasp this statement, we need to understand what each of these terms mean and what they represent. The heart can be described as that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell. The soul is referred to as the nonphysical part of a human being that lasts eternally after the body passes away. Our mind typically refers to our understanding, knowledge, and opinions. Finally, our strength is a reference to our physical bodies, abilities, and talents. Individually, they each represent a part of what makes us who we are. Collectively, they embody our whole person. When we are commanded to love God with each part, we are really being commanded to love God with our entire person: heart, soul, mind, and body. To love God with our entire person is to put Him first, above all others. So, let’s put ourselves in Peter’s shoes for a moment and imagine Jesus asking us the question, “Do you love Me?” How would you answer? What is the evidence that you truly do love Him above all others? Let’s take a look at these four aspects of loving God.
Heart
For every true disciple of Christ, there is a deep, heartfelt desire to know God more. To know Him in intimate ways that go beyond words and allow us to have an emotional connection with God. Like with any relationship, this begins with focused, uninterrupted time with the person we desire. As we spend time with God, we begin to know Him more. We gain a greater understanding of the depth of His love for us, which leads to greater trust, openness, and a desire to reciprocate love for Him. We become emotionally connected with God. To love God is to desire Him above everything on earth (Psalm 73:25). If we truly desire God in this fashion, we will set aside time to spend with Him. We must intentionally carve out time to be in silence and solitude with no distractions or interruptions, just be with God.
Soul
Our soul is the core of who we are. It is our innermost being that defines our identity, personality, and life. To love God with our soul is to love Him with our life. This includes obedience to His Word, the choices we make, and the attitudes we have. To obey God’s Word, we must be in God’s Word. We must read it, study it, and apply it to our lives. Obedience will require us to do things that we may not feel like doing. But if we love God, we will want to keep His Word (John 14:23). Intertwined with obedience are our choices and attitudes. Our choices point to what we treasure the most. If we truly treasure God, then we will choose the things of God over the things of this world. Similarly, our attitude will reflect a sense of humility and reverence toward God and His Word.
Mind
A follower of Christ will want to have God at the forefront of their mind. The only way to do this is to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) regularly. This involves a diligent, ongoing pursuit of the knowledge of God. We must be purposeful in seeking God through His word, prayer, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. As our knowledge deepens, so does our love for God. To love God with our minds is to esteem Him, to revere Him, and to adore Him. Ultimately, we worship God as we understand Him more.
Strength
To love God with our strength is to care for all aspects of our body and to use our talents, abilities, and energy for His purposes. We love God by taking care of the bodies He has given us. We also love God by utilizing the talents and abilities He has given us by serving others, whether in the church, in our families, or our vocations. We should not hold anything back but give ourselves completely to the work He has called us to. Ultimately, we do this for God’s glory and not our own (Colossians 3:17).
Considering these truths, let us return to our original question, “Do you love Me?” How would you answer now? If we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize that we can do better. After all, we are selfish by nature. We tend to choose ourselves over God and others. Instead, we must purposely choose to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. How will you love God today?
