“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

— Mark 12:30

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

— Psalm 42:1–2

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

— Matthew 16:26

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

— 1 Peter 2:11 

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With All: My Soul

By Jennifer Kane

O Lord, my soul is Yours,

It longs for You alone;

No earthly joy can fill me,

But resting at Your throne.

Through valleys dark and silent,

Through storms that cloud the skies,

Your Spirit whispers softly,

A song that never dies.

Though shadows press around me,

Your light shall be my way;

My soul shall rise to meet You,

At dawn of endless day.

So sing, O soul, forever,

The hymn of love made whole;

For Jesus is my portion,

The Savior of my soul.

~~~~~

Scripture: Mark 12:30, Psalm 42:1–2, Matthew 16:26, 1 Peter 2:11 

The soul is the eternal, life-giving core of our identity. To love God with all our soul is to find our deepest satisfaction in Him alone, surrendering our entire being to His care and aligning our eternal purpose with His will.

If the heart is the center of our affections, the soul is the very essence of who we are—the eternal “self” that God breathed into us. It is the part of us that existed in the mind of God before we were born and will continue for all eternity. To love God with all our soul is to direct this core identity toward its Creator.

This love is a deep, enduring commitment that goes beyond fleeting feelings. The psalmist describes it as a primal thirst (Psalm 42:1-2)—a recognition that our souls are designed for God and will remain restless until they find their rest in Him. It is a love that asks the ultimate question of value: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). To love God with our soul is to answer decisively that He is worth more than any worldly achievement, comfort, or acclaim.

This devotion requires a profound surrender. It is the act of handing over the reins of our identity, our significance, and our eternal security to Christ. When we love God with our soul, we acknowledge that we are “foreigners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) on this earth. Our primary citizenship is in His kingdom, and the temporary pleasures of sin are seen for what they are: a war waged against our soul’s true health and purpose. This love becomes our anchor in the storms of life, a steady, unwavering commitment that holds fast even when our emotions are in turmoil or our circumstances are dark.

Our souls are constantly being offered false sources of life and identity. Loving God with all our soul means consciously rejecting these counterfeits.

What are you depending on to give you a sense of worth, security, and purpose? Is it your career success, your relationships, your financial status, or your reputation? These are modern-day equivalents of “gaining the world.” Ask God to reveal what you might be tempted to “exchange your soul” for, even in subtle ways.

How can you create space for your soul to thirst for God? This might mean setting aside quiet, device-free moments to simply be in His presence, engaging in prayer that focuses more on adoration than request, or immersing yourself in nature to worship the Creator.

Peter calls us “foreigners and exiles.” How would your choices and anxieties change today if you truly lived as someone whose ultimate home and identity are in heaven, not here? What “sinful desires” or worldly pressures are waging war against your soul’s peace right now?

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Father God, my soul was made for You, and it is often restless until it rests in Your presence. Forgive me for seeking to satisfy the deepest longings of my soul with temporary things. You alone are the living water. Create in me a thirst that only You can quench. I surrender my soul—my very identity and eternal purpose—into Your hands. Help me to live as a faithful exile in this world, treasuring You above all else, and finding my complete worth in being Your beloved child. Thank you, Jesus and in your name I pray, amen.

September 23, 2025