Chaplain's Corner
Mark Shogren
February 2026
“And He (Jesus) answering said, shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
Luke 10:27
This verse is part of a conversation between Jesus and a lawyer who was seeking to test Him, saying “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life”? Jesus responds by asking the legal expert what is written in the law, to which the lawyer correctly answers by quoting the two greatest commandments: “shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
The heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions, thoughts, and desires dwell. We have a heart because God does, Acts 13:22, “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” The human heart in it’s natural unregenerate condition is evil, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it”. We may not completely understand our own hearts but God does, Jeremiah 17:10, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” To love God with all your heart implies passion and commitment to put God first, to the extent that it rules every thought, feeling, and action.
The soul is the part of a person that is not physical, it refers to the essence of who we are. The soul encompasses the very breath of life God has given each one of us, Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Loving God with all your soul places God first before family, career, or physical life, Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Loving God with all your strength means that we should live out our love for God though our actions, service to others, and physical energy, “Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Whatever you are called to do be obedient and work at it with your entire being, Colossians 3:23, “and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
Loving God with all our mind speaks to intellectual engagement with, thought, reason, wisdom, and understanding, Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” A mind centered on Christ helps navigate the challenges of life, Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” This requires a deep thought life focused on the things of God, faith, scripture study, prayer, and obedience to His Holy Word, 2 Corinthians 10:5, “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Finally loving your neighbor as yourself, depends on fulfilling the first commandment. We demonstrate our love and faith in action by serving our neighbors selflessly, putting others needs before our own. Our neighbor includes anyone God puts in our path, as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, see Luke 10:30-37. It is through this selfless love that we truly embody the essence of what it means to be a Christ follower, as we bring honor and glory to God in all that we do.
This verse challenges us to examine the depth of our love for God and for our neighbor. The heart of God’s message to humanity is “God is love”, 1 John 4:8.
I would challenge you to review your priorities and align them with God’s call to love. When we seek to love God wholeheartedly it impacts all that we do, say, and think. When we put this verse into practice it guides our choices and interaction with those we come in contact with. As you express your love to others in tangible ways, you will find joy in serving God!
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