Reflections on "Bread for the Journey" and Love

One random thing of the day: as I learned in the personal safety, self care, and self defense session today, I don't have a lot of physical space boundaries.  Thank you, four summers at bible camp :)
Now on to the more reflective things.

We sang this as our final hymn at the closing worship service tonight.  It resonates well with me as we LVCers head to our placement cities to begin the next step of our journey.

Give us bread for the journey, give us bread.
Give us bread for the journey, give us bread.
When our legs are getting heavy, and we're hanging down our heads,
give us bread for the journey, give us bread.

Guide our way as we travel, guide our way.
Guide our way as we travel, guide our way.
With so many roads before us, where to go is hard to say.
Guide our way as we travel, guide our way.

Make us one with each other, make us one.
Make us one with each other, make us one.
All the walls we've built around us: may we learn to tear them down.
Make us one with each other, make us one.

Lead us home to the garden, lead us home.
Lead us home to the garden, lead us home;
where we'll live with all creation, find our place and never roam.
Lead us home to the garden, lead us home.


An interesting point I learned from the keynote speaker (one of the Luther Sem profs):
The two greatest commandments sure ask a lot.  The second one is a bit more obvious--love your neighbor as yourself. But the first one-- "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." --packs four powerful punches.  We must love God emotionally (heart), spiritually (soul), intellectually (mind), and physically (strength).  I'd never though in earnest about the magnitude of this demand God makes of us.  When I use that word demand, that's also really strong...how can a loving God who gives God's creation (us) free will demand that we love God?  It is the grace, mercy, and love that God gives us that compels us to love God in return.  These gifts along with the incredible gift of life that God has provided for us lead us to act in love--toward God, toward our neighbor, and toward ourselves.
Cool.

God, as we embark on our year of service, give us bread for the journey, guide our way, make us one with each other, and lead us to your kingdom home. Thank you SO much for your amazing love that you have extended to imperfect people.  Help us to embody your love and share it with everyone we encounter, as well as ourselves. 
Amen.