When a lawyer asked Jesus to identify the greatest commandment, Christ didn't hesitate. Of all the laws given to Israel, of all the wisdom in Scripture, the supreme requirement is this: to love God completely, without reservation, with every faculty of our being. This isn't merely one commandment among many—it's the foundation upon which all other commandments rest. This comprehensive love isn't meant to be burdensome but transformative. When we truly encounter God's character—His mercy, holiness, patience, and grace—love becomes our natural response.

This week we explore what it means to love God supremely. We'll see that our love for Him is never self-generated but always a response to His prior love for us. We'll discover that genuine love for God produces obedience, not as cold duty but as joyful devotion. From Moses' declaration in Deuteronomy to John's revelation of responsive love, from Jesus' connection of love and obedience to Asaph's cry that God alone satisfies, we will learn what it means to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The warning to Ephesus reminds us that we can maintain religious activity while losing our first love—but Christ calls us to remember, repent, and return.

"The Lord requires the whole heart, the undivided affections. Nothing less than this will satisfy the claims of God upon the human soul." (Ellen G. White)

Prayer: Lord, teach us to love You with our whole being. Remove every divided affection and help us to seek You above all else. Amen.