For the love of Christ
Does that get used as a cuss term? It sounds like one I've heard before. It amazes me that people use the holy name of our God as a dirty, worthless curse. But that's not the point of this post...
I was reminded by an article this morning:
Why is it that 'many missionaries have spent their lives labouring in spreading the Good news without seeing much tangible fruit? ... Others experience great suffering- even premature death- in the cause of Christ. What can justify [this]? The motivation of [Hudson Taylor is given by Paul]: the love of Christ is the only sufficient cause of such sacrifices. As 2 Corinthians 5:14,15 says: For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. ... This made Paul (and Hudson Taylor; and many other countless Christians) willing to sacrificially pour out his life in labour for God's people."
The love of Christ.
I'm not kidding myself, or trying to look good. I know I have not reached any where near the point of 'sacrificially pouring my life out'. That's hard. And it hurts! I'm not there ... yet....
But I can say... the mice in my pyjama drawer... the snake under my kitchen counter... the bowel obstructions at 2am... the interpersonal problems with living in the same vicinity of the same group of people for several years.... the cobwebs and ant hills that collect faster than I can clean them.... the multitude of people with a plethora of needs .... oh and did I mention the mice in my pyjama drawer!!!! All of these things pale in comparison with 'the love of Christ.'
If I could only tell Him as I know
my Redeemer who has brightened all my way
If I could only tell who precious is His presence
I am sure that you would make Him your today.
Because friends, this is the only thing that makes this life possible: love of Christ. And more than just love for Christ, the love that comes from Christ. I only love Him, because He first loved me, because He first sought me, searched for me, drew me to Himself. Because He was willing to sacrificially pour His life out - in the most beautiful picture of crazy love - in order to make a way to bring me back to Himself. Me, the sinner. Willful, prideful, disobedient, in a word: vile. He did it all for me.
And He didn't stop with just my salvation. He raised me up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ. My sin stain is completely gone and He sees me in Christ - holy, perfect, new. When I sin, I need only ask forgiveness from a loving, tender Father. He daily loads me with blessings. He cares for me. He hears my supplication and receives my prayer. He is with me and will never leave me. He causes me to triumph.
Any wonder that I love Him so?
Weary, worn, hurting, broken, poured out, stripped of anything and everything the world sees as success and glory...
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is the motivation in our life. The reason we do what we do:
For the love of Christ
