Back to School

Pause

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.’”

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

How do you love God? How do you show God your love with all of your heart? Have you ever considered the question?

Many of you are starting back to school this week. With this new start is a great time to consider how God is asking you to love fully and to let go of anything that holds you back.

Listen

The Lord is for me—as my helper. I look in victory on those who hate me. It’s far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human.

Psalm 118:7-8

Think

Fred Rogers said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

Loving God with all your heart seems easy enough. But it really asks you to trust God first, to ask God first, to look to God first — before anyone else. How often do you do that? I know I struggle to love God with all my heart by putting God first.

The quote from Mr. Rogers is often shared in tragedies to remind you to look for the helpers and notice those whom God has gifted to serve the community. The Psalmist reminds you that “The Lord is for me — as my helper.” God is your helper — in all circumstances. When you see scary things, when you see hopeful things, when you see funny things, when you see crazy things — remember the lessons of both Mr. Rogers and the Psalmist and look to God, who is for you as your helper.

Josh Speight

Pray

God, thank you for being my helper. Give me eyes to see you today so that I can make my home in you and be safe. Amen.

Go

Go forth now in the power of the Spirit of God to be God’s helper in the world, letting go of any worry, loving God with all your heart along the way.