Conquering the Villains of our Love for God

Nowadays, we don't talk about 'conquerors' nor 'conquering'. Those words belong to the by-gone days when military victory was the by-word of human success. Roman military heroes were nominated to the Senate, were promoted or even became emperors on the basis of their conquest of foreign lands. The language has changed with the times. In our days, we talk about achievers, nothing much is left to conquer.

However, the language of conquest still should prevail in some aspects of our life, particularly in the area of our spiritual relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. I prefer the language of 'conquering' over 'achieving' since it has the nuance of defeating something that opposes. However, though achieve also involve some effort from the part of the achiever, there may not be resistance from the other side.

Spiritual relationship with Christ is one of love. He lavished his love upon us on the cross, and we respond to that love. We love because he first loved us.

The response to Christ love is not cheap just as his love towards us was not. There are challenges on the way of that relationship of love. Trials of various sorts are the main hindrances in maintaining that love towards him. Especially when we are put to suffer for the sake of that love. These threats to love come in various forms as our own temptations and opposition from others.

However, the Bible declares that nothing on earth or heaven, present or future should not hinder that love. Rom 8:37-38 is not a prediction but a declaration of a resolve. It should be read, as the author probably intended as, 'death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to (should not) separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

Christian love doesn't happen spontaneously, we need to respond to God's love in Christ Jesus. It is not easy to maintain it as well. We should make constant effort to maintain our love towards him by conquering the forces, desires and powers that tend to separate us from that love. We are not merely achieving it, but we remain in God's love by conquering everything that rise against it. Conquer the villains of our love affair with God.

Photo Courtesy: Pexels.

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