The Journey of Steps

“Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I like having structure in my life as I am growing older. When I was young, and probably you too, I sometimes was rebellious and didn’t want to go in steps whether it is fixing something or cooking something. It is amazing to see the difference if we have the obedience and humility to read or watch how to fix things in the steps they needed to go. That is the same in our spiritual journey. We must remember we all for short before Christ. (Romans 3:23) We have moments where we get too confident and we stray away from the path God created for us. I am thankful that God shows grace and mercy on us when we do get off track that He gives us a chance to repent, turn, and get back on the path.

I must confess that I know that I still have time of struggle to know what are my steps in God’s path for me. I have read the book called The Good Life by Dr. Derwin L. Gray, and there were steps that made it clear to me how I can overcome my struggles to remain on God’s path. It is very simple but you must be committed to it. It is “Upward, Inward, Outward” To live like Christ, to be a difference-maker in this world, we must go by these 3 words in order:

1. Upward

God gave Moses 10 commandments to the Israelites making their way out of Egypt to follow. Jesus in the New Testament modifies the 10 to where there are 2 great commandments to follow. (Matthew 22:37-40) The first one is to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul (Matthew 22:37-38). We cannot start anywhere without God. We cannot love without receiving love from The ultimate source (1 John 4:8). That’s why it is important to look up, upward, to glorify God, praise God, and love God first.

2. Inward

The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). In addition to what I said about love, we cannot love others before we love ourselves first. I struggle with this one because I put people before me knowing that I can love them fully without loving myself first. I have to be fully charged with my time of solitude with Jesus to know how much I am valued and loved personally (inward). I am a masterpiece. I am a handiwork. (Ephesians 2:10) I can do exceedingly and abundantly more through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:20).

3. Outward

In Matthew 22:39, if I can love God first, then myself second, then loving people won’t be hard(outward). We are assigned as followers of Christ to The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). We are called to spread the good news, the Gospel, to anyone and everyone we are close to as well as far. We can show or express the Gospel in many ways. Remember, you’re a handiwork, you have tools that others are not equipped with to spread the good news. “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” - Matthew‬ ‭9:37-38‬ ‭

It’s important to do this in the steps that are in order. It’s also important to know it will take time and practice. Ask God for help to stay focus for if you ask Him in His name He will deliver!‬‬ “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” - John‬ ‭14:14‬