The whole Bible can be summed up in one word: Love. Indeed, it tells us about the greatest love story creation has ever experienced. From Genesis to Revelation, it’s all about love. The Bible speaks of a loving Father who created us out of love, to be with Him in an authentic, transparent, and extravagant relationship. Our God is extravagant in His love for us. He cares for us, guides us, and protects us. David, having understood this, wrote: “The Lord is my shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1)

From the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve until today, God feels a constant frustration toward us. God is not angry, nor annoyed, and certainly not disappointed. He is simply frustrated, indignant, and saddened that we still haven’t understood that He desires only one thing: to be loved. Yes, He wants to be loved in return.

I don’t know about you, but usually, we aren’t angry when we see that the love we feel for someone isn’t returned. Instead, we are simply frustrated and saddened, thinking the loved one doesn’t know what they’re missing. So I invite you to pause for a moment and search your heart: how would you feel if you passionately loved someone, did everything to get their attention, and yet they only had eyes for someone else?

It’s terrible, isn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what God feels with us — frustration and indignation. He is indignant that we turn to people and things so far beneath Him, things that can only bring us suffering and despair. When you think about it, it’s absurd to forsake the love of the Creator of the universe to chase after imperfect and fallible love in this world.

The tragedy is that religion and the world try to trap us in the pursuit of God’s love — as if we had to earn it. Yet, God already loves us, and all He asks is that we open our hearts to receive His love. He doesn’t want us chasing after things He’s already provided. He doesn’t want us locked in an endless pursuit of happiness apart from Him.

So, when religion tells us to do this or that to deserve God’s love, Jesus comes and tells the religious people of His time that the greatest commandment of the law is: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37, KJV). My brother, my sister, all that God asks of you and me is simply this: to love Him — nothing more, nothing less.

Years ago, when I was a Sunday School teacher, I often told my children that obeying their father and mother was just a way of showing their love for them. Think about it. As proof, Jesus said to His disciples: “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). In other words, in order to obey Me, you must love Me.

“So, when I obey, I demonstrate my love for God. Because when you love, you don’t want to hurt the one you love. You might accidentally hurt them, but when it happens, you’re quick to apologize. Because there is no pride in love. Jesus told the Pharisees that there is nothing greater than loving God.”

You can be devout, pure, kind, and upright — but that doesn’t impress God. What touches Him is a heart that belongs entirely to Him. That’s why God said of David that he had a heart after His own. The English versions are more precise; they say, God said: “I have found David my servant,” (Psalm 89:20); “a man after my own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14)

In other words, God is saying He found in David someone whose sole purpose was to please Him — someone whose heart beat in sync with His.

It’s also important to understand that a whole heart doesn’t mean a faultless, sinless, or perfect heart. On the contrary, having a whole heart means developing the ability to be vulnerable before God. It’s being able to obey His voice every time He speaks.

When Jesus says that loving God is the greatest commandment, He’s revealing that what God truly seeks is a heart whose only ambition, only passion, is God Himself. More than a commandment, it’s an invitation to a relationship of trust and intimacy. God says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” In other words, don’t let anyone else fill your heart or occupy your thoughts but Me.

Wow! Beloved, our God is jealous in love for us. Because honestly, who would want to share the one they love with someone else? Everything in our life must revolve around our love for God. We are His beloved children, His lovers, His bride, the apple of His eye. We belong to Him. He loves us with an eternal love — a perfect love, a love that has crossed and transcended time. A pure, sacrificial, extravagant love.

I am overwhelmed when I read Isaiah 43; the Lord reveals to me the depth of His love. He tells me all He has done and is ready to do for me. He explains that there is nothing I could do to stop Him from loving me. He reminds me how many times I’ve hurt Him, pushed Him away, humiliated Him, but that despite it all, His love for me never fails.

Oh my brother, my sister, God loves us so much — that’s why all He wants in return is to be loved by us, and nothing more. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” is not just a commandment — it’s more than that! It’s an invitation to a loving, passionate, and unique relationship. Will you respond to this invitation?

Do you want to relearn how to fall in love again? If so, in the next part of this book, we will do it together, step by step. So, take your Bible with me, and let’s read Isaiah 43 with fresh eyes…

This text is an excerpt from the book “GIVE ME TO DRINK” written by Rachel MAHOUTI.

We invite you to read the next article: “THE MOST ADMIRABLE NAME”.

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