Daily Devotions
A Love That Controls
Reading for December 5th: 2 Corinthians 5-9
For the love of Christ controls us...
2 Corinthians 5:14
The word translated "controls" is a Greek word that means "to press together with the hand." (Strong's) It could be used of someone wielding a tool, like a hammer.
It was used of sick people who were brought to Jesus "afflicted" with various diseases, of Peter's mother-in-law who "ill" with a high fever, and of the father of Publius who "lay sick" with fever (Matthew 4:24; Luke 4:38; Acts 28:8). In other words, these diseases had taken hold of them and disabled them from doing what they wished. They were taken captive (in a sense) by their illnesses.
This verse in the Amplified Bible reads, "For the love of Christ controls, and urges, and impels us..." The New King James says, "For the love of Christ constrains us..."
While rejecting the Calvinistic idea of irresistible grace, there is something to the fact that when we drink deeply of God's love, we are taken by a force so powerful it controls, compels, and urges us to do what we otherwise wouldn't do. It's like the hand of God wraps around us like a carpenter laying hold of a hammer. It's an infection that takes hold of our heart and renders us unable to do anything else but love him with all we have.
Father, through the power of your Spirit, help us to see how deep and how powerful your love for us truly is! May this knowledge take control of our lives!
