Wednesday 24 March, 2021 – Lay it All on the Table
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (TPT)
14 For it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that he has given his life for all of us. This means all died with him, 15 so that those who live should no longer live self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for him—the one who died for us and now lives again.
Our text today highlights the love and sacrifice of Christ in that by dying for us He has also saved us from a life without purpose.
Christ died for all, everyone who has ever lived, who is currently living and all who will live in the future – His sacrifice leaves no one out. He has saved us from an eternity of separation from Him, separation from everything good.
So what is my part in this?
As Christ has died for me, He calls me to die to myself…my own plans and ambition, my desire for material possessions and comfort.
He called me to lay it all on the table before Him and instead gives me back a new heart that is ‘fuelled by passion’, to change my thinking for His, to look out for others rather than myself.
He makes this possible…I cannot die to my selfishness unless He gives me the heart.
And the point of this is…
Of course God wants to grow us in character but primarily our actions impact others, hopefully drawing them to Christ.
Often the process is long, walking with people, being involved in their lives, rather than applying a band aid to a gaping wound; God provides healing in a multitude of small actions, that one day results in a change of heart.
Sometimes there is a long delay between acts of kindness and the turning of a heart to Christ….but no kindness in the name of Jesus is wasted. God remembers and uses them all to His purpose, anything as simple as a cup of water.
The starting place (for me) is prayer.
There is no other option as I am fully convinced that I cannot do anything worthwhile in my own strength. I simply cannot do what only the Holy Spirit can.
Giving in prayer is perhaps the greatest act we can do on behalf of others and sometimes the only thing God calls me to do.
It does not burden me when I walk with Him – in fact, when I am in step with Him the walk is satisfying and inevitably fruitful. My treasure is in heaven and I experience the truth that it is so much more blessed to give than receive.
Written by Lainy Samperi
Christ’s love fuels our passion and motivates us.
Fuel – the store of energy that powers an activity or device
What a different thought that love is a fuel.
What fuels me? Guilt, fear, love, influence, power, insecurity, Christ’s love?
For Christ’s love to fuel me I must be convinced He has given His life for all and He has. We now live lives that are not self absorbed but others centred, Christ centred.
Father, I pray You would fill me with Your love every day that it would be my motivation at all times.
Two observations:
1. No longer live self absorbed lives – this jumped out off the page as I’ve been thinking about selfishness and how I find it constantly infused in our lives. The thought in my head is how do we truly become selfless? I may not have the full answer yet but a component hides in this passage – having Christ’s love as our motivation and passion. Perhaps an application question we can ask ourselves is: How is Christ’s love going to be my motivation today?
2. The one who died for us now lives again – through us, Christ still lives. What a powerful idea but a challenging one. We are now his hands and feet. We are now the embodiment of Christ today. Reflect on this question: how am I embodying Christ today?