Have you ever had someone ask why you are a Christian? Why you live the way you do?
Paul gives the greatest motivation for his life.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” (2 Corinthians 5 v 14)
He is motivated, compelled, deeply moved into active living because of the love Christ had for him. That must be the foundation of our lives. It isn’t our love but His love for us. So we see that this love is powerful love in that it becomes a force that moves us to be a conduit of that love to others. When we have understood and received such love and when we know where it flows from (the sacrifice of God), then we have no choice but to bring thanksgiving and to live thankfully.
An old man is on the pier feeding the seagulls, they land all around him, on his shoulders, his hat, feeding off what he had in his bag. Why is this man doing this? Why does he come here every week?
The man is Eddie Rickenbacher, a famous pilot in World War 2. His plane the “Flying Fortress” was shot down in 1942 and no one thought he would be rescued. He and eight passengers survived in 2 rafts for 30 days. They fought thirst, the sun and sharks some of which were 9 feet long. But what nearly killed them was starvation, within 8 days they had no more food left.
But in these rafts they would have a daily devotion to God. One day after a devotion Rickenbacher leaned back with his hat over his eyes to get some sleep. Within a few moments he felt something land on his hat. He knew in an instant it was a seagull. They were hundreds of miles from land, where had it come from? In an instant he grabbed the seagull. They all ate the bird and the intestines they used as fish bait. Rickenbacher never forgot that sacrifice. Every week he went to the pier to feed the seagulls, to say thank you.
How much more should we carry the spirit of thanksgiving for what Christ has done for us?
Missions Paul 