A thirty-six year old mother was discovered to be in the advanced stages of terminal cancer. One doctor advised her to spend her remaining days on vacation. A second physician offered her the hope of living two more years with the grueling side effects of radiation. She penned the following words to her three small children: “I’ve chosen to try to survive for you. This has some horrible costs, including pain, loss of good humor, and moods I won’t be able to control. But, I must try this, if only on the outside chance that I might live one minute longer. And that minute could be the one you might need me when no one else will do. For this I intend to struggle tooth and nail, so help me God.”
People attempt to prove their love through many different means and some go to great lengths to do so. But no one ever proved their love like Jesus did in dying for us. Love from fellow men no matter how great is still at best a love that has limit and boundary. But the love of Jesus for humanity is a love without limit. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.
As one of those for whom Jesus died, the love that made Christ give His life for us is supposed to checkmate and regulate our lives as well. “For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died;” II Cor 5:14 (AMP). First of all, understand this, that you are a partaker of Christ’s death. His death renders you dead to every work of the flesh. That is why the Bible says “that One died for all, therefore all died.” Except you have this understanding, your Christianity will not carry weight. You will continue to satisfy the desires of the flesh and still claim to be a follower of Christ. Know that it was out of Christ’s love for us that He chose to die. The prove therefore, that you have experienced His love is that your life will be controlled and compelled by that love. You will be compelled to flee all youthful lusts and keep yourself pure. No doubt there will be temptation, particularly in this season of love that people call Valentine, but you will allow yourself to be compelled by only the love of Christ, and you will not yield to temptation.