Love God. Love People.

It’s simple, really, but most profound. What is the greatest commandment? Jesus answered that question and refused to disconnect it from the second greatest command.

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Love God. Love people. And don’t think you can do one without the other.

The Bible is consistent on this point. The Ten Commandments say, “love God” in commandments one through four, and “love your neighbor” in six through ten. Number five is about that most interesting and significant transitional relationship between the two parties: parenthood.

Prayer, according the example given by Jesus to His disciples, follows the same simple priority: first, we love God (hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done) and then we present the concerns of our “horizontal relationships” (daily bread, forgiveness, temptations). Jesus ends the prayer with a reprisal to remind us that the two concerns are really one package (Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory).

Confused by the blizzard of requests when you turn your mind to prayer? Try sorting your prayer by these priorities. First, love God. State that love in worship, name your failings of love in confession and plead for His help that you might grow in love and knowledge of Him. Second, love your neighbor – in Wheaton, Japan and the Chad – by sharing the weight of his or her needs before your Father.

And remember… the priority is important.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.