Pursuing Love...

I mentioned a couple of posts back that I feel led by the Lord to "pursue love" for 2012...  As I was reading my Bible this morning, my heart was stirred again... I read this in 2 Corinthians 5:14...

"For the love of Christ compels us..." 

Here it is in context....  2 Corinthians 5:9-21

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (emphasis mine)

Here is just verse 14 from the Amplified Bible....

"For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died;"

Christ's love should compel me to love others, to love them so much that I willingly and with joyful abandon fulfill my calling to be His ambassador, to allow Christ Himself to plead through me to others for their reconciliation to God.  For truly there is nothing more important in this world than one's reconciliation to God.


Pursuing God...
Pursuing His love...
His love compelling  us to be His ambassadors...
and then His love compelling those we share His love with to be reconciled to God...


 Is His love compelling you?