The word which we translate “MIGHT” is מְאֹד, pronounced meh-ODE. It is rendered: very, great, greatly, and exceedingly. Its primary function is as an amplifier. In English, we might say, “to the Nth degree.”

When you put these two words together, ALL and MIGHT, it paints quite a picture. “God saw EVERYTHING that He had made, and behold, it was VERY good.” (Genesis 1:31) God’s call is for each of us to love God with EVERYTHING in us to the Nth degree. It is difficult to find one word that encompasses this concept. Perhaps the word superlatively, or maybe surpassingly. God is clearly calling for a complete and total commitment from us, a call to channel all our energies and resources into loving God with every part of our being!

Jesus echoes this sentiment when He calls this the “First and Great Commandment.” Words are difficult to describe this overarching and all-encompassing truth. Oswald Chambers comes close as he titled his marvelous devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, which is an articulate attempt to express our quest.

Paul finds himself seeking to use words to describe the Nth degree. He is laboring to make the Roman Church understand that nothing can keep them from the love of God. He states:

So how do we love God with all of our heart, soul, and strength? I wondered the same thing thirteen years ago. I was at an event speaking on Deuteronomy 6:7, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This passage had shaped how I viewed my dual responsibility as a parent: to teach my children the Word of God, and live it out in my daily life.

At the end of the session, I was asked why I had left out verses 5 and 6. I had no response and looked them up. As I did, a light bulb went off in my mind. Yes, of course, before I can teach my children to love God and His Word, I had to love God and His Word. “You shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”

I recognized how fundamental and basic this command was, to love God with everything in me. I didn’t know how to manufacture this, so I simply asked God to help me love Him with everything in me. I knew He would answer this prayer because it is certainly according to His highest will for each of His children:

I waited for an answer, and yet nothing earth-shattering happened right away, but I began to realize that in sermons, spiritual songs, and Scripture, God was making me know how much He loved me. I was surprised by this approach and remonstrated that I was seeking to love Him, not learn more about how much He loved me. God made me understand that this was an answer to my prayer, for “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV)

One inspired verse was quickened to me, which changed my understanding of God’s love. Jesus was teaching His disciples when He said, “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love.” (John 15:9, ESV) As the truth of this passage began to dawn on me, I caught my breath, for Jesus stated plainly that He loves us just as His Father loves Him. Wow!

I then pondered on how the Father had loved His Son, and my mind went to His baptism. When Jesus emerged from the waters:

When we consider that Jesus has forgiven our sin, adopted us into His family, delivered us from condemnation, and clothed us in His robes of righteousness, and put these verses together, we can begin to see how God looks at us and says, “You are my dearly loved child, who brings me great joy!” What great news, for indeed, as our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3, ESV), we are loved just as God loved His Son.

As special as this revelation was, it took a while for my mind to catch up to my spirit and heart. I began searching the Scriptures for God’s love and grace in the New Testament and for lovingkindness and mercy in the Old Testament. My objective was to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2, NKJV)

After marinating in the Word of God, I can now state unequivocally that as I have understood God’s love in a new way, the result is that I love God more than I ever have. God answered my prayer so wonderfully, and yet not in the way I had imagined.

The last four words of John 15:9 are “Abide in my love.” As I read them, I wondered how to abide, or dwell, or live, in His love. The answer is found in the next few verses:

These verses are both simple and sublime. I encourage you to chew on them and ask the Spirit to help you walk in them and make them a part of your life. May I also encourage you to ask God to help you love Him with every part of your being? He promises to fulfill this request, for it is according to His perfect will.

I am so grateful that God led me on this journey. I feel like I have been born again, again. I understand God’s grace and affection as never before, which has led me to love Him more and spend more time in His Word and in His presence.

When I am tempted to doubt His love, my three-pronged swords of the Spirit are: “God is love” (1 John 4:9, 16), God never changes (Malachi 3:6), and nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)

teve Demme and his wife Sandra have been married since 1979. They have been blessed with four sons, three lovely daughters-in-law, and six special grandchildren. Their fourth son has Down syndrome and lives with them in Lititz, PA. Steve has served in full or part-time pastoral ministry for many years after graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the creator of Math-U-See and the founder of Building Faith Families.