Loving God is the greatest calling we have been given, a command that surpasses all others in importance. We are to love the Lord with all our heart, with every faculty and power, holding Him supreme above all beings or things with tremendous ardor and zeal. This means devoting our lives to Him in service, submitting our intellect to His will, and loving His law and gospel more than our own thoughts and decisions. We must be willing to surrender all our faculties to His teaching and guidance, dedicating our intellectual abilities to Him. With all our physical and mental strength, we are to labor to please and glorify Him by becoming like Him in all that we do. The first four commandments reveal how we show direct love toward God. We must have no other gods besides Him, allowing nothing to take precedence over our commitment to Him. We are to avoid making idols, whether physical or in the form of lifestyles, intellect, beauty, strength, wealth, or escapes we turn to in weakness. Loving God requires us to fight against these distractions and rid ourselves of them. We must honor His name in all aspects of our lives—our marriages, childrearing, business practices, and what we allow into our minds—representing Him with integrity. Keeping the Sabbath as holy time, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, is a sign of our love and obedience to Him. It is a time to rest from ordinary duties, to engage in meaningful Bible study, to visit the sick, to encourage one another, and to be refreshed spiritually while attending services. God's love toward us is the foundation of our ability to love Him. He first loved us, even when we were ignorant of His way and did not desire it, wanting the best for us when we did not know what was good for ourselves. His love is shown in the world He has given us, in the rain that falls on the just and unjust, in His patience toward us, and most profoundly in sending His Son as a sacrifice so we might be reconciled to Him. We perceive His love because He laid down His life for us, and in like manner, we are to lay down our lives for others. As we actively love others, both within and outside the church, in the same manner that God loves us, His love is perfected in us, and we grow in His nature, going on to perfection. Loving God produces a desire to live His way, and His commandments are essential to that life. Obedience to His Word trains us to become just like Him, reflecting His nature. For those who conscientiously observe and work to obey His doctrine, the love of God is perfected, establishing an intimate relationship with Him and His Son. True love in the heart will be reflected in our way of living, showing that we belong to Him. If we harbor hatred or grudges toward others, we do not have His love within us. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we grow in love and trust in Him, we can stand boldly before Him, taking on His nature. We are to love Him because He first loved us, and this love is not our own but His love working in us, shaping us to love others as He does.