Photo by Sweet Louise on Pixabay
When Diana and I brought our firstborn home from the hospital, I found myself driving in an unfamiliar part of the road—the slow lane. Despite the speed limit being sixty-five miles per hour, I drove cautiously at a much slower pace, all because I was being influenced by our newborn daughter.
The Apostle Paul conveys a similar concept regarding his life. He describes himself as being under the influence of another. Let us consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-15:
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.”
Paul emphasizes that it is “the love of Christ” that controls us, not merely our love for Christ. This distinction is significant. It is imperative that we comprehend the magnitude of God’s love. Why do temptation, fear, and lust often dominate our lives? It is due to our incomplete understanding of Christ’s love. Truly grasping His love empowers us to be guided by it. Realizing the depth of Christ’s love instills in us the conviction that nothing greater can govern our actions.
In response to Christ’s love, we submit our schedules to Him, align our plans with His, dedicate our homes to Him, entrust our families to Him, and surrender our jobs to His guidance. This act of submission represents relinquishing control.
When Hudson Taylor, the man responsible for taking the Gospel to China, interviewed candidates for the mission field, he would always ask about their motivations for service. One person told him “I want to (be a foreign missionary) because Christ has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Another said, “I want to go because millions are perishing without Christ.”
After Taylor listened to the men give a number of different answers, he said, “all of these motives, however good, will fail you in times of testings, trials, tribulations, and possible death. There is but one motive that will sustain you in trial and testing; namely, the love of Christ.”
Today, let His love move, motivate and inspire you to follow Him and His ways. He loves you so much that He gave His life for you…and that same love will never lead you astray.
Let the love of Christ control you…
Today Matters
Joey Keith
South Central & West Central Region Director
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