Tuesday, August 19, 2014

DAY 14: LOVE COMPELS US TO LOVE

DAY 14: LOVE COMPELS US TO LOVE

SCRIPTURE:-

Luke 23:33-34 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

OBSERVATION:-

In the perfect picture of pure, unconditional love, our Lord Jesus, suffering immensely on the cross, actually prays for God the Father to forgive the people who have hurt him so intensely. We recoil in horror at the thought of human hands and feet being nailed crudely to a cross. But to add to that, the Lord had been punched in the face again and again. He had tufts of beard pulled out together with pieces of flesh. The flesh on his back had been shredded by the cruel Roman whips. A crown of very sharp thorns had been forced onto his head with the thorns embedded further into his scalp after still some more blows. In spite, of all this, how could it be possible that the Lord could still wish for the forgiveness of the perpetrators of such terrible cruelty? Such, is the nature of true agape love, that loves in spite of the darkest sins, that loves even after the worst hate and cruelty is inflicted.

APPLICATION:-

The Lord showed us on the cross what love really is. The sinless, perfect Son of God, suffering immensely and then dying so that all who believed in might receive eternal life through Him. His love is also an example for us all, that we might love our enemies even as He loved His, and to still wish for their forgiveness even when they have done us terrible harm.

PRAYER:-


How precious indeed Your love is Lord Jesus, for You loved even the enemies who did You so much harm. Teach us to love like You love, Lord Jesus. Cover us in Your perfect love, that we might also learn to love in the same way. We praise You and love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.  

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