Compelled by Love

A man was surprised to receive a letter from his former girlfriend. Her letter goes like this:

Dearest Jimmy, No words could ever express the great sorrow I’ve felt since breaking up with you. Please say you’ll take me back in your arms. No one could ever take your place in my heart. So please forgive me. I love you... I love you... I love you! Yours forever, Marie.

P.S. And congratulations on winning the state lottery.[1]

Such “love” is actually selfish. It looks out only for its own interest. It is not something you want to be yours forever.

But this is not the case with God’s love. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8, NIV) That’s the kind of love one would want to have forever.

The Presidential Security Group would bite a bullet for the president just because she is the president. But there is nothing in us that would attract God’s love or make Him send His Son to die for us. Look at the way we were described: “powerless... ungodly... sinners...” Yet, still “Christ died for us.” It’s like someone offering himself to die in the place of a serial killer who was about to be executed. Only His unselfish love compelled God to sacrifice our Lord Jesus Christ for us.

Brethren, people need to hear about this unselfish love.


[1]Adapted from the illustration database of the Biblical Studies Foundation.

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