The Love of the Game

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. —Matthew 22:37-38

It’s finally baseball season!  Yay! Go “M’s!” I confess… I love baseball (and football!). In fact I love sports. While I’m not very good at sports, I love it just the same.

What is the greatest thing in sports?  Winning? Athleticism? Trophies?  In the Palestra, the University of Pennsylvania basketball arena, a plaque offers this perspective on the greatest thing in sports. It reads: “To win the game is great. To play the game is greater. But to love the game is the greatest of all.”

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered it was to love God with everything you’ve got.  Then He said the second greatest commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus concluded by saying all the law and prophets hang on these two commandments involving LOVE.  Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom. 13:10).

Remember, it is not about the ministry you perform. It is about your love for the One we are doing it for!  As much as I love preaching and teaching, I love the One I’m preaching about the most!

While your love of the ministry is great, your love of the God you are serving should be the greatest!