First Commandment: Love

Mark 12:28-31

Hearing an argument,
one of the scribes
came forward to ask,
“Then which is the first
of all commandments?”

Jesus replied,
“The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The LORD our God
is the only LORD,
and you shall love
the LORD your God

with all of your heart,
with all of your soul,
with all of your mind,
with all of your strength,

and the second command is this:

you shall love your neighbor
as yourself. No other
commandments are greater
than these.”

©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in the Gospel of Mark by referring to several of the many translations provided by Bible Gateway.

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How to Get a Life!

A Bible scholar and expert in God’s Law asked Jesus,

“Rabbi, what do I have to do to have life forever?"

Jesus responded with questions of His own:

“What’s written in the Law?
How do you read it?”

Quoting scripture, the man said:

“You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your strength
and all your mind.
And you shall love your neighbor
as much as you love yourself."

Jesus said,

“That’s right!
Now, do it,
and you will have life.”

Luke 10:25-28


Prayer-a-phrased scriptures came from the many translations on Bible Gateway.

©2014, Mary Sayler, poet, writer, and pray-er for our country and the church throughout the world

Love, like a good child, obeys God

And they brought little children to Jesus
for Him to lay His hands on them
and pray for them.

But His followers spoke sternly
to those who brought the children
until Jesus said, “Let
the little children come to Me
without hindrance
for the Kingdom of Heaven
belongs to little ones.”

And He touched each child
before going on His way.

Then someone said,
“Good teacher, what good
must I do to get eternal life?”

And Jesus said, “Why do you ask Me
about doing good? Only One is good!
If you want to have life in God,
keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?" the man asked,
and Jesus replied,

“You shall not commit murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not commit theft.
You shall not give false testimony,
but you shall
honor your father and mother,
and you shall love your neighbors
as though giving God’s love to yourself.”

©2013, Mary Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 19:13-20 using parallel translations found on Bible Gateway.

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