2 Corinthians 5:14 “For Christ’s love compels me…”
How many people are waiting for us to go to them and offer them Christ’s liberating all-embracing love?
Sean Litten was working for International Justice Mission in Thailand. He found out about a girl called Elizabeth who was only thirteen who had been forced into prostitution. Various case workers made their dangerous undercover investigations to gather sufficient evidence before presenting it to the police. They then raided the brothel. Sean found Elizabeth locked in a dormitory that seemed more like a dank dungeon. When Elizabeth realised Sean was coming to save her rather than abuse her, she said to him:
“I knew you’d come. I knew you’d come.”
Well how had she known? Sean was further surprised to see strange writing on the back wall behind her. The script looked different from Thai and as he shone his flashlight at it, he was amazed to read words from Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?” It turned out this precious young girl was a Christian and, against all odds, she was still trusting her Lord and Saviour in her living hell. Her family had been praying and praying for nearly a year that God would free her.
I find her words strangely haunting. “I knew you’d come…”
Who else is out there, crying out to God for us to come? It could be in Thailand, or it could just as well be in your neighborhood. The apostle Paul wrote: “Christ’s love compels us.” That’s the motivation that compels me to go to Burundi, and yet even here I can choose to be content to stay in the safety of my comfort zone. So wherever we are, let’s resolve today to reach out to someone. What are we waiting for? We are the ones God is waiting for.
Lord, help me feel afresh that sense of your love compelling me to go in your name. Amen!
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