With All Thy Heart

The Flame

This closes the first movement of this book with the actual, comprehensive command everything else in this movement has been circling, all thy heart, all thy soul, all thy mind, comprehensive, undivided love, named directly as the first and great commandment, not one priority among several but genuinely first.

Notice all, repeated three times, comprehensive rather than partial, suggesting genuine love for God is meant to involve the whole person, not merely emotional feeling alone, not merely intellectual assent alone, but heart, soul, and mind together, comprehensive devotion this whole movement has been describing across its different facets.

This closes the loop this whole first movement has traced. First love named honestly, tender memory of earlier devotion, burning hearts, gifts stirred up, fervor alongside diligence, panting and thirsting, love flowing from forgiveness remembered, eager running following genuine drawing, all of it culminating in this comprehensive command.

As this movement closes, receive this command today as your own genuine aim, not burden but invitation, comprehensive love, heart, soul, and mind, worth pursuing deliberately, trusting this whole first movement’s exploration as genuine preparation for this second movement’s honest look at whatever actually tests and cools this kindled love.