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[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2015_09_01|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
[[topics_collection_vii|| Topics Collection vii ]]
======Highest Commandment ...======
Tuesday, Sept 1, 2015. What is the highest principle of your life? What is the
highest guiding thought or guiding commandment? What is it that has priority to
all other things? Let us explore the setup of or life!
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**Conflicts of Time and Effort ...**
Our days have 24 hours, for each of us. You could say that is a lot. But usually
we try to fit in different activities, and we need to sleep - so 24 hours seem
pretty limited from this point of view.
Conflicts of time and effort are normal. We need to decide: what do we want or need
to do next? Conflicts are there for everyone - what ever your personal situation.
Some of us have kids. Then, the conflicts start right in the morning. Do I take the
time to care for everyone, and come later to my office? Do I leave, and let the kids
do a part of the work (clearing the table, for example). What if this does not
work properly? It continues with questions like: when do I go home? Pick up the little
one from the creche. Take care of the homework of the large one, etc etc.
But even if you are single and have to take care of your job only. You want to
spend time with friends. You want to do some sports. You need to shop. It is interesting: I had times which I spent as an academic visitor far away from my
family. But days have still been pretty full and conflicts of time were there even
when I was far away from the standard routine.
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**The great commandment ...**
How are you resolving these conflicts of time and effort? I know only one really
good way: God. He has made us, he knows us, and he is giving us guidance for our
daily decisions. There is another important ingredient: he is all powerful. He is
the provider. He does miracles and wonders! When he gives us an advice, it is good.
When he asks us to do something, he has the power to take care of it.
Let us look into what Jesus taught to be the highest commandment. He does not call
it principle, he calls it command, that is important. It is not up to us to let it
slip through, we are asked to follow it, we are commanded, indeed! And that is
because it points us to the origin and target, to the center of our world:
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
(Matthew 22, 34-40)
Jesus is not just asking for particular actions. He is asking us for much more.
Love is in the center of his commands. Love means us completely. Love means our heart
and our mind. Love means our actions as well. There is nothing deeper and nothing
more fulfilling than love. Here, conflicts are resolved, and it is good!
(RWEP)
[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_vii|... more texts]]