Since God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, people became more rebellious and nobody had actually live obeying all the commandments. Generations after generations, people had lived on their own rebellious ways, became more stiff-necked, all the more disobedient, and became lovers of money and of the flesh. God is not pleased. But because the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (Exodus 34:6-7), God’s mercy saw us through His Son Jesus. His mercy looks past all our faults.

In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”  The Jewish Rabbis have so complicated the Bible and God’s commandments. The Ten Commandments were expanded to 613 commandments – 365 “this is what you must do”, 248 “this is what you must not do”. Many Christians are like that. They have so complicated Christianity that they have forgotten the most basic things. Jesus tells us that the whole commandment of God is summarized in “Love God with all your heart and love one another.” The problem with us is we don’t know how to love. I know you love people; you need to learn how to love. It’s the greatest commandment. Actually, when you love God, you will love one another. And when you love one another, you won’t take advantage of people. If you love God, will you come on time to worship? Yes, because you understand that worship is singing to God and that pleases Him. If you love God, will you obey Him? If you love Him, will you study the Bible? If you love God, will you attend a small group for accountability? During Jesus’ times with his disciples, perhaps we can picture him as not always meek and mild, not always gentle, and not always charming. The historic Christ threw so many hard teachings at the disciples. The Lord announce: Reality is wrapped up in me. Truth can only be found in me. If you try to save your life, it’ll slip through your fingers. If you give it away, you’ll find it. I’ll deny you before the Father if you turn back. If anything is keeping you from me, whatever it is, throw it away. If it’s your eye, pull it out. Your hand, cut it off. Your sins, all of them are wiped out – I can do that! I am rebirth. I am life. Eat me. Drink me. And finally, do not be afraid for I have overcome the whole universe!

Let us rejoice and be thankful for God’s love. In return to God’s love for us, we ought to love and obey Him. God’s love for us was fully expressed through the Lord Jesus. That’s how God loves. He gave His Son. His life. His only begotten. He gave everything, nothing held back, every last ounce, all in all.

That’s why God should be so easy to trust. With you He never uses words of despair or defeat, hopelessness or frustration. His encouraging love never mentions fear or failure. Those aren’t words of love. Not His love. When God encourages your heart, He speaks words of hope and victory, rest and peace, joy and triumph. So the question is not can you trust, love and obey Him, but… will you?