Augustine's 11 Little Words

"Love God with all your heart--then do as you please." ~Augustine

Read this quote again recently. It wasn't the first time I'd seen or heard it. My reaction to it was the same:
Huh?
Is a relationship with God that simple?
Love God--and do as I please?
While I was googling (great verb, eh?) the quote to make certain who said it, I found links to people arguing about this quote.
It isn't that easy, says they. You can't just love God and do as you please. "You can't just love God with all your heart," said one writer. "You have to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." (Mark 12:30-31.)
With all due respect, I think that writer is quibbling. He's muddying the simplicity of Augustine's thought--stealing its beauty.
Love God.
Focus on that.
Not Love God and something else.
I've always thought if I focused on loving God, I wouldn't have a lot of time left to do those things I shouldn't do--like focusing on "doing the right thing" or "being the right kind of Christian." I'd be too busy loving God. Worshipping Him. Praising Him. Honoring Him with my life.
You know, the more I read Augustine's 11 little words, the more profound I find them.

Just Thinking Out Loud: We Accidental Pharisees would do well to focus on one thing--loving God--and letting go of all the other things we drag into our relationship with God. What would that look like today? How could I, how could you, love God today?
Do that--and then do as you please.