For the Love of Christ!
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Cor. 5:14-15 (NIV)
I’ve heard of different types of compulsions springing from various mental health issues, most of them negative!… there are compulsive gamblers, compulsive drinkers, compulsive robbers, compulsive eaters, compulsive spenders or due to the current COVID-19 threats, even compulsive handwashers and compulsive sanitizers!
But Paul shows that not all “compulsion” is evil. There can be “good compulsions”. In the passage quoted above, he talks about Christ’s Love as the positive motivating force that urges him to do what he does for the Kingdom of God!
Jesus, moved by the same love, went all the way to the cross! Missionaries and Martyrs through the centuries, have left home, safety, comfort – and yes, faced death – because of this compulsion! Paul, now compelled by this love, knew full well how it was to serve from a different compulsion – as a Pharisee, he used to be motivated by Self (self-promotion, self-preservation and self-righteousness)! What a difference the Love of Christ can make in someone’s life and service!
If you are not motivated by Christ’s Love… what compels you? Is it…
– GUILT… that you’re not “paying for your sins and shortcomings”?
– PRIDE… that you desire prominence to promote yourself?
– FEAR… that somehow you do not measure up? or somehow “missing out”?
No matter how you got here, know this: you can put your heart in the place today where you can say, “I am compelled by Christ’s love!” Come to Jesus – come clean – and He will give you a fresh motivation… even a fresh heart!
Blessings!
Pastor Vino
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