What Does It Mean to Love God with Your Whole Heart? Loving the Lord with your whole being is a profound and transformative experience.
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one [the only God]! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].” – Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (AMP)
God is not divided, nor is He one among many. He alone is the true and living God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and He calls for your complete devotion. The greatest commandment is not a suggestion—it is a call to love the Lord with every part of your being.
But do you truly love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength? Or have you offered Him only a portion while keeping the rest for yourself? God does not want lukewarm love; He calls for an all-consuming devotion. Jesus reaffirmed this in the New Testament, saying:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37 (NASB)
Nothing less than everything belongs to Him.
God Held Nothing Back—Will You?
God gave everything for you. The proof is in Jesus Christ:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NASB)
God did not hold back His only Son. He gave everything so that you might live. Will you now hesitate to give Him your whole life?
The Holy Spirit is still calling, still convicting, still transforming lives.
“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” – Hebrews 3:15 (NASB)
Yet the world tempts you to hold back—to divide your heart, to love God when it is convenient. But God demands your whole being. He is worthy of nothing less than your full surrender.
Jesus said:
“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” – Luke 9:23 (NASB)
This is the love God desires—a love that lays everything down, seeks Him above all else, and forsakes sin to follow Christ completely.
Do Not Hesitate—Respond to His Call
Do not be one who hears and refuses to respond! If hell is real, if sin is death, if the blood of Jesus was the price of salvation—will you hesitate?
Tear down every idol. Forsake every distraction. Let your love for Him be total, consuming, and undivided. This is the only love worthy of the Lord your God.
Understanding the Command: A Word Study on Loving God
A deeper look into the original Hebrew words in Deuteronomy 6:5 reveals the full depth of God’s command:
1. “Love” (אָהַב – ahav)
- Ahav is more than an emotional feeling—it is a devoted, covenantal love that includes loyalty and action.
- It is the same kind of love God commands in Deuteronomy 6:5, which Jesus later reaffirms in Matthew 22:37.
- Loving God is not passive—it is a wholehearted commitment that shapes every thought, decision, and action.
2. “Heart” (לֵבָב – levav)
- In Hebrew, the heart is not just emotions—it includes the mind, will, and intellect.
- Loving God with all your heart means surrendering every thought and desire to Him.
- Scripture commands us: “Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NASB)
3. “Soul” (נֶפֶשׁ – nephesh)
- Nephesh means “life” or “whole being.” It includes emotions, personality, and the very breath of life.
- Loving God with all your soul means giving Him everything that makes you who you are.
- “Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” – Psalm 103:1 (NASB)
4. “Strength” (מְאֹד – me’od)
- Me’od doesn’t just mean physical strength—it means “muchness,” intensity, and everything that you are.
- It is a call to love God with all your energy, resources, time, and ability.
- This is the kind of devotion seen in Luke 9:23, where Jesus says: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Bringing It All Together: A Call to Total Devotion
Loving God with all your heart, soul, and strength is not optional—it is a command. It is a love that consumes everything in you.
This is the love Jesus demonstrated when He laid down His life for you. This is the love the Holy Spirit ignites when you surrender to Him.
God has given everything for you. Will you hold anything back?
A Prayer of Total Surrender
Holy Spirit, search me and expose every place where my love is divided. Let me not be deaf to Your voice or resistant to Your transforming power. Fill me, consume me, and make me wholly devoted to the One who alone is worthy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.