Underground ReLOVEution

The February 4 devotional from Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest) reminded me of Jon's message from Tuesday night about evangelism. It's a tough and holy challenge but one I would spend my entire life to seek.

VERSE: "For the love of Christ controls us..." (2 Corinthians 5:14).

And the OzC says this: "Paul says he is overruled, overmastered, held as in a vice, by the love of Christ. Very few of us know what it means to be held in a grip by the love of God...Paul says he is gripped by the love of God, that is why he acts as he does. Men may call him mad or sober, but he does not care; there is only one thing he is living for, and that is to persuade men of the judgment seat of God, and of the love of Christ. This abandon to the love of Christ is the one thing that bears fruit in the life, and it will always leave the impression of the holiness and of the power of God, never of our personal holiness."

Okay, my version might be more confusing than yours because mine is an old edition I found at a garage sale. But I hope the point was clear.

The love of Christ - his love for us or ours for him? - is worth everything. My goal is to be motivated by this in every area of my life.

Also, MY SELF-OBSESSION IS OUT OF CONTROL! I am usually far more concerned about my own personal holiness (and wanting everyone else to recognize it) than I am sincerely concerned about other people's souls and lives. Yep, you can say it now - I'm a big joke.

Well, let's be honest - so are you :)

So, can we get real? Let's take an brutally honest look at our motivations, our relationship with God, the lies we tell ourselves and the games we try to play. The ways we aren't being upfront with God or other people. The moments when we care more about looking Christian than about actually letting Jesus get the glory.

We are ridiculous and lame and beloved of God. Amen.