(Dt.6:2-6; Ps.18:2-4,47,51; Heb.7:23-28; Mk.12:28-34) "You are not far from the kingdom of God." If you "fear the Lord, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all His statutes and commandments," you will have "long life"; the Lord will "give you a land flowing with milk and honey." The promise spoken by Moses to the people stands true, and truer, today. If we "take to heart these words which [both Moses and Jesus] enjoin on [us] today," the kingdom shall indeed be not far from us. For these words are life-giving, they are the heart of the law, the heart of God's love, and so breathe the breath of life upon the obedient soul: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." (And the seconding of the Commandment is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.") This Command, this word of Truth and Life, the ancient Israelites inscribed upon their doorposts and lintels, and wore upon their person, never to forget what wisdom had been imparted unto them. And now we, where shall we wear this essential Command, which silences even the hardest skeptics…? It should be inscribed upon our hearts. It should pour forth as praise from the mouth of all, all the faithful exclaiming with David in song, "I love you, O Lord, my strength." "The Lord lives! And blessed be my rock!" Our hearts indeed should overflow with love of God, who is so near us. Oh brothers and sisters, do you not know how near He is to you now? Do you not know that Jesus "is always able to save those who approach God through Him, since He lives forever to make intercession for [us]"? Do you not know that you have a high priest who is "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens," and that He draws you unto the Heaven where He dwells? No longer do we turn to weak men, as even Moses was, but to "a Son, who has been made perfect forever." And His Sonship we share even this day when we love as He has loved. Love God, brothers and sisters. Love Him with heart and soul, mind and body. Let the four corners of the universe declare His praise and honor His Name in unending love of all. It is Jesus' blood, Jesus' love, which courses through our veins now. How much closer can we come than this Bread of Life? Heaven has come to earth in flesh of love, and raises these earthen vessels we are unto the gates of the kingdom. On the doorstep you stand; only enter in. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Love, The Meaning Of (Liars Don't Love, Lovers Don't Lie)" from Loving Spirit, third album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, if we love you and our neighbor, indeed we draw close to your kingdom. YHWH, if we but keep your Word, we shall be blessed; if we but love you, O LORD our God, we shall know your love. If we worship you alone, we shall soon come to Heaven. O let your love fill us with praise of your NAME! And may that love overflow to all souls. We love you, O LORD; we praise your holy NAME. You are exalted above all gods and your reign endures forever. And that reign you would share with all who are obedient to your Word, to your call to love. And so your Son has come among us as our high priest; as priest and victim He stands in our midst and calls us to your kingdom through His holy sacrifice. Once for all He offered Himself that we might be saved, that He might live to make intercession for us all our days – that we might learn to love as He loves, as you love, dear God, giving all our lives for your sake and that of our neighbor. Alleluia!