Let the Love of Christ FlowSpeaker: Sis. Stella Dhinakaran Gist: The most striking attribute of Christ is love. When His love overflows in a heart, it becomes so easy to forgive the faults of others. The basic ingredient for peace and joy in a heart is the love of Christ. The most striking attribute of Christ is love. When His love overflows in our hearts, it becomes so easy to forgive the faults of others. If we do not forgive them, and harbour hatred deep down in our hearts, it generates anger and annoyance, hatred and fanaticism, harsh and obscene words and a callous indulgence in scandal and gossip. In the end, we become the devil's means of causing pain and distress to so many people, dissensions in families, division and discord among colleagues and chaos and confusion wherever we go. But those who are filled with God's love quickly forgive and forget any clashes that may arise among friends, relatives and colleagues with an almost child-like simplicity.
The Holy Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:21). We become unfit to inherit the kingdom of God. We are surrounded by discord in the family, disquiet in private life and conflicts with friends. Moreover, it looks as if there is a big barrier between God and us. Deprived of God's grace and a man's fellowship, we live miserable lives weakened in body and depressed in mind. But the Lord Jesus greets us saying, "Your soul will prosper forever." Is it not marvellous? That is God's love. It has the power to change and recast everything.
Dear friend, God pours out His love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes in, all our shortcomings will vanish. This will not happen overnight, but little by little it will change us altogether. It is God's will that the mind of Christ Jesus should be found in us.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)
There are so many who receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit all in a day, but are negligent of being re-filled with it day after day, with the result that their lives become devoid of this love of God and other divine graces. Their lives are no longer witnesses to others and they become a laughing stock before the society they live in.
A devout sister who was zealously engaged in the Lord's ministry had a mother-in-law who was never contented with anything in life. Ever grumbling and quarrelling at home, she very much hurt the feelings of her daughter-in-law, who yet held resolutely to the Lord's feet. The Holy Spirit filled her abundantly with God's love. She received the grace of God to retire to another room and pray on her knees whenever there was a shower of abuse from her mother-in-law. Forgetting all the abuses and insults heaped on her, she showed great love and respect for her mother-in-law. This brought about a miraculous change in the mother-in-law, who began not only to love her daughter-in-law, but also to join hands with her in the ministry.
How is your family today? Do you claim to be children of God and yet are plagued by dispute and litigation over power and prosperity. The Lord tells you to draw near Him, saying, "Why do you fret and fume over such trivial considerations? It is My will that you should live joyfully."
Dear friend, in the world you will have tribulations. Our gracious Lord Jesus Himself has said so. But be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He will surely grant you a joyous and victorious life and take you in His embrace!
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
I praise You for Your incomparable love. I thank You for loving me in spite of all my weaknesses. Lord, You know all the trials and tribulations that I am going through till now. Help me to overcome them by filling me with Your Holy Spirit. Bless me to lead a joyous life. I ask all these in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen. |