Psalm119:33-34 “Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.”

There is a difference between knowing something and understanding it.

An example of knowing without understanding: my son has memorized the words to one of my daughter’s violin songs.  We sing the positions with the notes to make it easier for her to remember the song as she plays it.  He can sing E, two, two, three, one, one... he knows it but he does not understand it.  Another example that comes to mind is my study of the Spanish language.  I know how to read it but I cannot understand what I am reading all of the time.

The law of the Lord is not hard to know.  He tells us to love him with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our might.  Then we are to love our neighbors as he loves us.  We know this and to some degree we understand it.  As we walk through our journey of faith with God, we gain deeper understanding; we observe with more and more of our whole heart.

Today I seek to love God with everything that I am and also to love others as he loves me.  What more is there?

Lord,

Thank you for your unending love.  Thank you for sending Jesus to teach us how much you love us and to teach us how to love each other.  I ask you to grow the seeds of love you have planted in my soul until the roots are so deep I know nothing else.  Let the depth of your love spread from me to all those around me so that I love as you taught me to.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.