Compelled by Love (2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
– 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

I love these two verses. There’s so much in them. I really want to camp out on and lead us to pray according to the first phrase, the very beginning of 2 Corinthians 5:14, and maybe just encourage you just to memorize this phrase, for the love of Christ controls us. Is that not a great phrase for the love of Jesus? For the love of Christ controls us. What does it look like to live controlled by the love of Jesus for you?

This is a command we see straight from Jesus. In John 15, he says, abide in my love. Just remain in my love, just like a branch in a vine. Be connected to, joined to at every moment. My love for you in such a way that it controls you in such a way that at every moment you know are loved by God. Just think about that how freeing this is. You don’t have to live today for the applause of others. You don’t have to earn others’ approval today. Just rest and the love God has for you. Find your identity here, not in anything else in this world. Find your dignity here, not in anything else in this world. Let His love for you. Control how you view yourself, and then let His love in your life control how you view others. Oh, this is freeing too.

Now, you’re free to love your enemies because you know you were once an enemy of God. He loves you. Even though you have sinned against God, rebelled against God. He loves you enough. He’s sending Son to die on a cross for you. What love, let that love control you today. Just look at the people around you, whether right now maybe you’re driving the road and you’re surrounded by people in different cars. Maybe you’re sitting in a school classroom, maybe you’re on your own right now, but at some point today, you’re likely going to see other people, see them through the lens of God’s love for them. Let His love control you today in every way. His love for you, his love for others, the opportunity you have to love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, the opportunity you have to love others as yourself as a reflection of his love for you.

Oh God, we just pray this phrase over each other that the love of Christ would control us today. God, we pray that you help us to rest in your love today. Help us not to be worried or anxious about anything. God, where we are tempted to discouragement or despair. God, we pray that we would be controlled by your love. That frees us from worry, frees us from anxiety. If you love us, we have nothing to be afraid of or anxious about today. Thank you God for your love for us, for the security identity, dignity we find in being loved by you. Help us to abide in your love for us and God, we pray that your love would control would drive us to live in love for you. God, may Your love control us in such a way that we want to stay in your love, not turn from your love toward sin, toward temptation around us.

And God, we want to show your love to the people around us today. God, help us to be a reflection of your love and the words we say and the thoughts we have, even things that nobody else sees. God, we pray that your love would control our thoughts. Your love can control our desires, our words, our actions. We pray that we would live lives today controlled by your love, and we pray that you help us to spread your love to others who are in Christ and encourage them to love brothers and sisters in Christ and those who don’t know you. God, help us to love them in such a way that they see your love for them through our lives today.

A Prayer for the Dusadh People

And God, we pray for the spread of your love in all the world. We pray for the Dusadh people of Nepal and India. For over 6 million Dusadh men, women, and children. God, we pray that they would be reached with the good news of your love, that this mightily speaking people group would hear and receive your love. Then they might abide in your love for all of eternity. We pray that over the Dusadh people, God with love for them, we intercede for them all according to your word in 2 Corinthians 5:14, may the love of Christ control us today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.