COMPELLED BY LOVE

2 cor. 5:14

(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.)

What compells us to do what we do? Loving God? Work? ministry? raising children?...etc...you fill in the blank, what compells us?

If its taking pride in what we do, being a good friend,pleasing others ,doing a praiseworthy job, reading every parenting book and doing exactly what it says we would eventually get burned out...

and just really exhausted.....

We know all the steps, but there are times when i admit i have become so familar in my faith and christianity,doing good works, being the best mommy i possibly can and running on fumes that i forget Its all compelled by Love and i need to refocus on the emotions of God and the way he feels for me and from that being compelled by Love in all i do...

Theres many times ive read (John 3:16)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..."

that it doesnt come alive to my heart...I feel dead on the inside and i need God to take me on a journey and remind me of just how much Love he feels for me....

In our pride,our darkness,our wickedness....putting a nice little christian label on ourselves, with one foot in our walk with Jesus and one foot in the pleasures of this world....we are complete and utter sinners. Jesus gave everything,so that we would be his inheritance and with him for always constantly winning our hearts back to him...and we run around on him over and over again......settling for lesser pleasures, cheating on him with other lovers, putting him on the backburner until the flame of our temporary pleasure runs out and were face down crying out to him again....Hes always there at the door of our heart winning us back to him over and over again, knowing we'll keep running around on him...

 Who does that?,There is no one like that on earth, that lets thier wife run around over and over again with all kinds of men, and with a heart free of offense and complete forgivenesss and full of love keeps winning her heart back again and again...

Thats what we do to Jesus and He loves us more than we can comprehend....

He sees us while we are in our utter darkness and he is overwhelmed by Love for us....looking past our sin, and seeing what he created us to be....and he says I Love and adore you...I gave everything to be with you, come drink deep.....

We need to truly drink deep of that very well, that while we were in our darkness,He gave it all, the ultimate sacrifice so we would have a way to be with him forever and that we make his heart happy! That he would do it all over again to know that we could be with him forever and ever!!!

When we drink deep of that, and truly understand Gods Love for us and let that wash over us.......that should be what compells us to win lives for Jesus, to love others well, to be reconciled to each other ...

We say God knows the desires of our heart...but do our desires match up with Gods desires for us?

Are we even open to allow God to change the posture of our heart to make our desires, his desires?... Or are we so set in our ways,with walls up,with the attitude of we want what we want..what can i get out of this? Rather than what can i give?..we have to be real and ask ourselves are we being compelled by love in this?

Will this bring glory to the one who gave it all for me?,.....If God wants me to love well in this life....are my desires pleasing to his heart to bring glory to his name?
do they line up with whats on his heart?

I am guilty as charged....

God forgive me for my selfish heart,with selfish desires....That I have allowed pride and fear to put walls up in my heart. I want you to have the fullness of my heart and the fullness of the desires of my heart....I want the desires of my heart to bring Glory to your name, to please your heart....I want to have a heart that says yes and no nos......break every fear and wall in me that keeps my heart from being ripped wide open, raw and vulnerable before you, that says God, here I am... Open with all my walls down. Put in me the desires of your heart and let me love well, loving the way you love, with a heart after you......

Thats really the way to fully live...compelled by love, a heart thats free of offense, running wide open to whatever God desires to put and awaken our heart with knowing that his leadership is perfect!

Let the love Of God compell you to Love well!