I was watching my human the other morning. He had his Bible open, a cup of coffee beside him, and that thoughtful look on his face.
You know the one.
It’s the look that usually means he’s talking to God and not paying attention to important things… like scratching behind my ears.
I plopped down beside him and listened.
Jesus was answering a question about the greatest commandment.
He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”
- Matthew 22:37 NIV
That got my tail thumping.
Because dogs understand something about being all in.
When my human comes home, I don’t greet him with half a wag.
I don’t think, “Maybe I’ll be excited tomorrow.”
No sir.
I’m all in.
Tail wagging, happy dance, big grin, whole-body wiggle.
Every bit of me is involved.
When I chase a ball, I’m all in.
When I hear the treat jar rattle, I’m all in.
When I love my human, I’m all in.
As I listened, I began to wonder if people sometimes struggle with that.
Not because they don’t love God, but because life has a way of dividing attention.
Work pulls one way.
Worries pull another.
Entertainment tugs here.
Responsibilities tug there.
Before long, a person can be partly committed in a lot of directions and fully committed in none.
Jesus didn’t say to love God with part of our heart, some of our soul, or whatever mind is left over after everything else.
He said “all.”
That little word is bigger than it looks.
Moses told God’s people something similar:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”
- Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV
And Jeremiah recorded God’s promise:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”
- Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
Seems God has always been interested in wholehearted devotion.
Now, I’m just a dog, but I’ve noticed something.
My human is happiest when he’s closest to the Lord.
The circumstances may not change.
The bills may still come.
The aches and pains may still linger.
But there’s a peace in him that wasn’t there before.
Maybe that’s because God never asked for leftovers.
He asked for all of us—not because He needs us, but because we need Him.
So today I’m asking myself a question.
Am I all in?
Not with treats.
Not with tennis balls.
Not even with naps in sunny spots.
Am I all in for the One who created me, loves my human, and sent His Son to save the world?
That’s a good question for people, too.
Because the greatest commandment is still the greatest commandment.
Love God with all your heart.
Love God with all your soul.
Love God with all your mind.
In other words…
Be all in.
Prayer: Lord, help us love You with all that we are. Remove divided loyalties and distracted hearts. Teach us to seek You first and to follow You wholeheartedly. May our love for You shape every thought, word, and action. Amen.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
