based on the sermon prepared and preached by Jeff Jantzi, January 5, 2025
As we start a new year, many of us reflect on the past and set new goals based on our priorites and goals coming out of the old year and anticipating the new. But have we ever stopped to consider what does God say matters most as we set goals and pursue new habits?
Jesus answered this in Mark 12:28-31, when asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” He then quoted the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in responce:
‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’
He then added: ‘The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.’
These two commands form the foundation of life—loving God fully and loving people deeply. When we love God with all we are, His love naturally overflows into our relationships.
This teaching explores what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and how that love extends to others in five parts with corresponding sermons and blog posts. We begin with the heart—loving God with our emotions, desires, and affections. Let’s dive in and discover how this great commandment shapes our lives.
What Does It Mean to Love the Lord Your God with All Your Heart?
To understand what it means to love God with all our heart, we must first understand that in the ancient world, and throughout Scripture, the heart is synonymous with our inner self—the core of who we are. It includes at least four key aspects:
- Our Minds – In biblical thought, the heart was the seat of understanding and wisdom. In Ephesians 1:18, Paul prays that the believers’ hearts would be enlightened so they may know the hope to which they were called. Jesus also said in Matthew 15:19, “From the heart come evil thoughts,” showing that our thinking and reasoning are part of our hearts.
- Our Desires – The heart is where our deepest longings reside. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” As we love God, our desires align with His.
- Our Emotions – Feelings and emotions are deeply connected to the heart. The Bible speaks of those who are “brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18) and “downhearted” (1 Samuel 1:8). Joy, sorrow, anger, and love all originate in the heart.
- Our Will – The heart is also where decisions are made. It’s where we choose to follow God or turn away. Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Loving God with all our heart means surrendering our choices to Him.
When Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, He’s calling us to engage our whole inner being—our thoughts, desires, emotions, and will—in full devotion to Him. It means aligning our minds with His truth, desiring Him above all else, responding to Him with heartfelt emotion, and choosing to follow Him daily.
How Do We Love God with Our Whole Heart?
That’s the question, right? As we consider this most important command from Jesus—to love God with our whole hearts—how do we do that?
There are many responses to this question, but one key way is this:
Guard Your Heart.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” This means protecting our hearts and keeping them soft, open, and receptive to the Spirit of God and His love.
Our hearts shape everything—our words, actions, decisions, and emotions. As Jesus said in Luke 6:45, “From the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.” When life gets tough, what is truly in our hearts will come out.
So, how do we guard our hearts? We watch out for things that harden them. Here are three major “heart-hardeners” the Bible warns us about:
- Sin – Sin is more than just wrong actions; it’s a heart posture that resists God’s authority. Hebrews 3:12-13 warns that sin can deceive us and harden our hearts against God. To love God wholeheartedly, we must guard against pride, selfishness, greed, lust, envy, gossip, and idolatry.
- Anger, Bitterness, and Unforgiveness – Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to suffer. Jesus equated unforgiveness with torture (Matthew 18). Holding onto anger and grudges hardens our hearts—not just toward people, but toward God. We must choose forgiveness, as the Lord has forgiven us.
- Disappointment with Life and God – Grief, discouragement, unanswered prayers, and suffering can lead to hardened hearts if not processed well. If we don’t bring our disappointments to God through prayer, community, and His Word, our hearts can close off to Him.
So, what about you? What “heart-hardener” do you need to be mindful of this year?
If we want to love God with our whole hearts, we must be on-guard against sin, bitterness, and disappointment, keeping our hearts soft and open to Him.
The good news is that we are not left on our own to achieve soft hearts through our own strength or merit; God has promised to transform our hearts Himself. In Jeremiah 17:9, He warns that “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things.” But in Ezekiel 36:26, He gives us hope: “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
That’s why Jesus came—to give us new hearts filled with His love capable of responding to Him and staying soft despite hard circumstances.
So today ask yourself: How’s your heart? Is it hurting? Hard? Bitter? Disappointed? Or is it soft and open? Where do you need His healing so that you can love Him more fully?
May 2025 be a year where we truly love God with all our hearts.
