All Your Heart… Mark 12:28-33

1 Samuel 12:14-25

Samuel was the last judge over Israel. During his reign, the people wanted a king to be like all other nations. This displeased Samuel, and the LORD told Him, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7).

As a result, God gave them a king, but chose Saul. Samuel’s final words of advice were to fear the LORD, serve Him with all their heart, and obey His voice. God sent thunder and rain as a sign, and the people knew that they had sinned greatly by demanding a king.

However, Samuel prayed to the LORD for them as a righteous man should do (James 5:16). He also taught them the good and right way. If a way is proven to be good and right, one must follow it. That only way is Jesus Christ (John 14:6)!

After all, there is a way that “seems” right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Jesus described that way as broad, where many go in. However, narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and few find that way (Matthew 7:13-14).

Mark 12:28-33

Just as Samuel told the people to “fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you,” Jesus taught a scribe what the first commandment was.

He said, “you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…The second, like it, is this: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Just as the Israelites were to serve God with all they had, so should we!

Everything we think, say, and do must have Christ’s authority (Matthew 28:18).

Thus, if we love Him with all, we’ll do all He says (John 14:15).