Focus: Labor Of Love

Text: 2Cor.5:14

"The love of Christ constraineth us."

Those who heartily embrace and cherish the love of God are compelled, propelled and galvanized into action by it. Let me ask you: What do you do out of love for God and how frequently do you do it because you love God? The highest service or ministry is that which you render out of love for God. 

God's love in the heart of a Christian is his inspiration and motivation. Jesus Christ says to Peter, "Do you love me… feed my sheep." He says to His disciples, "If you love me, keep my commandments." That tells you that ministry in any shape or form is the byproduct of divine love. That tells you that obedience is done from the place of love and with the heart of love. 

Loyalty is rooted in love. Simply put, loyalty is a fruit of which love is the root. Loving Christ and doing what He says go together, and they can't be separated one from the other. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and when he acted in obedience to the demand of God, God said to him, "Now I know that you fear me." Another way of putting it is: Now I know that you love Me. 

Love is shown through works. Paul says, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father" (1Thes.1:3).

Faith and love produce works - work of faith and labor of love. Faith works and love labors. No one is ever idle or lazy who possesses faith and love in his heart. Faith and love are the Christian's adrenaline. We are energized by faith and empowered by love.

When Mary broke the alabaster box of costly ointment on Jesus Christ, it was love in action. When the sinful woman of Luke 7 washed the feet of Christ and wiped them with her hair, it was love with its sleeves rolled up. 

Where love burns like fire in the heart, feet and hands go to work. Every part of body gets involved in a noble activity for love's sake.

Paul says, "We are constrained by the love of Christ." The Greek word for 'constrained' implies that we are compelled, pressed, captured, captivated, held, seized, or compressed. The love of Christ puts us in a situation or position where we cannot be silent or idle. We cannot sit and do nothing when Christ's coal of fire - the fire of divine love - is on our heads and burning in our hearts. On the day of Pentecost, cloven tongues of fire settled on the heads of Christ's disciples, and they couldn't sit still, and from that moment till their deaths they were totally devoted and utterly engaged. 

The Message Bible translates, "Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do." The love of Christ moves us to extremes - no place for neutrality. The love of Christ makes us to go all out - no sitting on the fence or sitting by idly watching life as it rolls by. The Passion Translation says, "For it is Christ's love that fuels our passion and holds us tightly…" 

The love of Christ controls and compels us. His love rules in our hearts and guides our choices and actions. His love urges us on. His love has a hold on us.

Love never folds its hands; it spreads it out. John tells us that God loves the world to the extent that He gave His only son. Love gives, and beyond that, love gives its highest treasure, its only possession, its very best. Love gives, forgives, frees, understands, makes sacrifices, edifies or builds up, and adds value to other people's lives. Love labors. Love makes effort. Love suffers and endures.

Let me ask you: What are you doing for love's sake? What do you make happen in the name of love? What mission or ministry has love given you to do? For the love of Christ, are you in any way reconciling the world around you with Christ? How well are you loving Christ back for all the love He has heaped on you? Have you abandoned your first love? Do you have any affection at all in your heart for the Lord. How passionate are you for the things God is passionate about? Do you possess the fire of Christ's affection in your heart? Is your heart burning with love? 

Show God your love! Let Him feel the impact of your love for Him. Give Him that labor that flows from a heart ignited by love! Love is a laborer; not a loafer.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter