"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."
This (above) is one of the most singularly-important verses in the whole Bible. Jesus Himself called it, "the first commandment of all," (in Mk. 12:29-30). Moses' subsequent teaching (in Deut. 6), that we are to have these words on our hearts, and speak of and teach them, etc.--is primarily in reference to this doctrine of the primacy of love for God (found in v. 5).
But how can we who naturally hate God, love Him? When we believe in Jesus' gospel of grace we are filled with love for God. And what does this lead to? Obedience. But how can we believe, without hear-
ing? And how can we hear without a preacher? And how can one preach, unless he is sent? (See Rom., ch. 10, on all of this.)
[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ, by what He has done in the work of redemption, has overthrown Satan, and utterly frustrated him as to this end [of robbing God of His glory]." --Jonathan Edwards, in his ser-
mon entitled, "The Wisdom of God"]
