Scripture
Psalm 119:31 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!
Devotion
The greatest commandment that Jesus gave to us is this…
“A new commandment I give to you, that you LOVE one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
What an incredible command. On the one hand, it sounds like a rather easy thing to do, right? Love people – how hard could that be?
But when we look closely at Jesus’ command, it actually seems almost rather impossible. Jesus is not just calling us to love one another, but He is calling us to love people JUST as He loved them!
Of everyone who ever lived in the world, Jesus was by far the person who loved people in the most incredible ways. How are we supposed to live up to His command?
Dear friend, when this feels overwhelming, I take heart in the fact that whatever Jesus calls us to do, He will equip us to do.
Jesus will never ask something of us that we will not be able to accomplish.
However, loving people as Jesus loved them IS impossible in our own strength. As much as our hearts desire to do it, we are limited in love, in energy, in time, in resources, in compassion, and the list goes on.
Dear friend, the only way we can do this – to fulfill Jesus’ command to love – is to rely on HIM, for He is LIMITLESS.
That’s why I love Psalm 119:32. The psalmist declares, “I will run in the way of your commandments WHEN you enlarge my heart!”
God is the one who will, firstly, enlarge our hearts, which will then enable us to run in the way of His commands. How amazing is that!
Allow me to tell you this wonderful story, dear friend.
Back in the 1970s-1980s, there was a champion racehorse named Secretariat. To this day, he remains one of the greatest and fastest racehorses of all time.
He won the American Triple Crown, setting the fastest time in all three of the races. In one of the races, he won by 31 lengths, which is an incredible feat.
The cause of Secretariat’s agility and speed were unknown for his entire lifetime. However, after his death, veterinarians discovered the secret to his incredible stamina.
Secretariat had a heart nearly three times the size of an average horse’s heart – an estimated ten kilograms!
Dear friend, if we are going to keep the one big commandment of Jesus, we will need bigger hearts – we will need hearts just like Secretariat.
Can you imagine how this earth would be changed if Christians started walking around with hearts three times bigger than the average human being?
We all need hearts that are three times as loving, powerful, and compassionate as everyone else.
Then, perhaps people will know that we are Jesus’ disciples.
Let us pray and ask God to enlarge our hearts today!
Reflection Questions
What stood out to you from today’s devotion?
- Whatever Jesus calls us to do, He will equip us to do.
- Our love is limited, but Jesus’ is limitless.
- God will enlarge our hearts so that we can obey His commands and love others.
- OTHER
Prayer
Dear Jesus, Your command to love others just as You love them is impossible unless I have Your help.
Today, I acknowledge that though I am limited, You are limitless. I pray for Your help today Jesus.
I pray, Lord, enlarge my heart! Please enlarge my heart so that I may love people more and to love more people. Lord, I pray, help me to love people as You do.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Pointers
Do you know of anyone who feels unloved, or unlovable? Pray that the Lord would show them how much He loves them. Why not reach out to them today and show them how much you love them?
