--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be commanded to love God at all, let…" description: "\"To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg" --- # To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the… ![“To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness - especially in the…” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg) > “To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness - especially in the wilderness - you shall love him.” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loving God in hardship is demanding but remains a core commandment. **In simple terms:** Love God even when suffering. Key Takeaway Persist in love despite difficulty. Themes faith suffering obedience spirituality Mood solemn hopeful inspirational Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - illness - loneliness - war - personal crisis - spiritual retreat Key Concepts theodicy existentialism devotion Questions to Reflect On - How can one practice love in the midst of pain? - What supports sustain faith in hardship? A Different Perspective Love may feel impossible under extreme duress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commandment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commandment/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) ## Related quotes > [“But why, the questioner insists, why do people like you pretend to love uninhabited country so much? Why this cult of wilderness? Why the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/but-why-the-questioner-insists-why-do-people-like-you-pretend-to-love/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“Why this cult of wilderness? Why the surly hatred of progress and development, the churlish resistance to all popular improvements? Very well, a fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/why-this-cult-of-wilderness-why-the-surly-hatred-of-progress-and/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The commandment is that you shall love, but when you understand life and yourself, then it is as if you should not need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-commandment-is-that-you-shall-love-but-when-you-understand-life/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/read-a-lot-write-a-lot-is-the-great-commandment/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The first great commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, might, mind and strength; and the second was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/the-first-great-commandment-was-to-love-the-lord-our-god-with-all-our/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had-silenced-the-sadducees-they/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [The great commandment of life is to love the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-great-commandment-of-life-is-to-love-the-lord/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“Jesus taught that "the great and first commandment is to love God completely, totally, and unreservedly -- with all one's heart, with all one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/jesus-taught-that-the-great-and-first-commandment-is-to-love-god/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“Remember always this great commandment that Jesus left for us in Matthew 7:1–2:   “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcgowan/remember-always-this-great-commandment-that-jesus-left-for-us-in/) [Kathleen McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcgowan/) > [The first and great commandment is: Don't let them scare you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-first-and-great-commandment-is-don-t-let-them-scare-you/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [“The Great Commandment.\* 4d Hear, O Israel!\* The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! 5Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-commandment-4d-hear-o-israel-the-lord-is-our-god-the-lord/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great commandment is that we preach the gospel to every creature, but neither God nor the Bible says anything about forcing it down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-zamperini/the-great-commandment-is-that-we-preach-the-gospel-to-every-creature/) [Louis Zamperini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-zamperini/) > [Prayer is the ascending vapor which supplies The showers of blessing, and the stream that flows Through earth's dry places, till on every side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-simpson/prayer-is-the-ascending-vapor-which-supplies-the-showers-of-blessing/) [A. B. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-simpson/) > [NEIGHBOR, n. One whom we are commanded to love as ourselves, and who does all he knows how to make us disobedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/neighbor-n-one-whom-we-are-commanded-to-love-as-ourselves-and-who/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“It is this Good which we are commanded to love with our whole heart, with our whole mind, and with all our strength. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/it-is-this-good-which-we-are-commanded-to-love-with-our-whole-heart/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [It is impossible to conceive how different things would have turned out if that birth had not happened whenever, wherever, however it didfor millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-impossible-to-conceive-how-different-things-would-have-turned/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [At least to look back over their own lives, as I have looked back over mine, for certain themes and patterns and signals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/at-least-to-look-back-over-their-own-lives-as-i-have-looked-back-over/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/even-the-saddest-things-can-become-once-we-have-made-peace-with-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else, just better informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/a-christian-isn-t-necessarily-any-nicer-than-anybody-else-just-better/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-things-that-the-world-fills-time-with-are-enough-to-turn-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The pride that keeps us from forgiving is the same pride which keeps us from accepting forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-pride-that-keeps-us-from-forgiving-is-the-same-pride-which-keeps/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but a the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I suspect that Jesus spoke many of his parables as a kind of sad and holy joke and that that may be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-suspect-that-jesus-spoke-many-of-his-parables-as-a-kind-of-sad-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness - especially in the wilderness - you shall love him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Buechner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/frederick-buechner-883_broken_to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-a_2165032.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we…” — Frederick Buechner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frederick Buechner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be commanded to love God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```