Matthew 22:37–40
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Scripture Insights
So now what? With the refrain of Easter Sunday echoing in our ears—He is risen! He is risen indeed!—what are we to do next? Said another way, how are we to live in light of the empty tomb? Thankfully Jesus answers our questions in today’s scripture.
Our first response to Christ’s resurrection is to love God with all that we are—heart, soul, and mind—engaging all of our being in love and worship of God. But that’s not where it ends, for Jesus also reminded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This second command encapsulates everything else that the law and the prophets commanded of those who love God. Our second appropriate response to the empty tomb is to love our neighbors, which could also be called blessing our communities. This command calls us to pray for our neighbors, to see them as people made in the image of God (even if they have not yet come into relationship with Christ), and to love them unconditionally.
So, what now? We are called to love!
Today’s Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the gift of your Son, and for his sacrifice and resurrection! Today we commit all of ourselves to loving you. Please help us to also love others so that our communities might be blessed.
—Joel K. Pearsall
President, Northwest Nazarene University (Idaho)
