Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

I was cruising down the grocery aisle recently and I noticed several items could be instantly transformed from a box of contents to some delightful delicacy with a simple step of “just adding water.” Being the simple chef that I am, I gravitate to such easy formulas. However, in my conversation with people, I sense that their theology of Jesus is very similar to that statement on the pancake box. Instead of just adding water, they believe that if they will just add Jesus to their life all will be instantly better.

The problem with that formula is that Jesus never intended to be an additive to your life. Being an additional ingredient in someone’s life will never satisfy Him. The only way Jesus brings the necessary life change that we desire is if we make Him the center of our life and not just one more ornament on the fringes of our life. There is a theology prevalent in our world today that says you can keep your own way of doing things, keep your own religion, keep your practice of sin, and just add Jesus. This is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew that you must love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. That command is not about adding Jesus to your life, but is about submitting all of your life to Him.

Today’s Challenge: Realize that Jesus does not desire to be an additive to the existing mix of your life, but rather wants to transform your life into a total new existence. This transformation comes not by adding Him to your life but by submitting all of your life to Him.