“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
How can we persevere in love? Draw upon the love that is bestowed upon you by God. He directs your hearts into His Love and the perseverance that is seen in Christ.
Paul asks the Lord to direct their hearts to two destinations. He does not ask for the saints to be directed to victory over enemies or provision for needs or healing for hurts or solution for problems or cessation of trouble. He prays the Lord would direct their hearts to the love of God and steadfastness of Christ.
The phrase “the love of God” can refer to either the saint’s love for God or God’s love for the saints. Either way works, but in light of the context, it probably refers to the love of God for the saints.
When life is filled with bad news, it is to this good news that we can run for refuge. His love sustains us.
I was reading about the persecution of Russian Christians years back under Stalin. Dmitri held a house church and was arrested. He spent 17 years in prison. When asked how he endured the torture he shared that every morning he would stand next to his bed and sing a heart song to Jesus. He was shining a light in the dark place with his song of love and praise, in spite of ridicule, anger, and beatings.
That night in deep despair he was tempted to give up and sign a confession renouncing the Lord. At that same time his family sensed something was wrong. The Holy Spirit moved them to pray and sing out loud for him. Miraculously, the Holy Spirit allowed Dmitri to hear the voices of his loved ones as they prayed and sang.
The next morning when the guards marched into his cell with the documents, Dmitri’s back was straight. His shoulders were squared and there was strength on his face. He declared, “I will not sign anything!” He told them God allowed him to witness the prayers of his family. Dmitri remained faithful.
When the guards were dragging him from his cell toward the door leading to the courtyard before stepping out into the place of execution, 1,500 criminals stood at attention facing the east and they began to sing the song they heard every morning of Dmitri’s praise to the Lord. The jailers instantly released him and stepped away in terror. Sometime later he was released and returned to his family.
Paul experienced the presence and strength of the Lord and knew God would be with him and them until their deaths.
Do not quit, even though the load is heavy. Christ himself possessed and exhibited this steadfast endurance or perseverance during His earthly life and ministry. He enables those who trust in Him to access His steadfastness.
Application: How do you win the world? By spreading the Word. By prayer, protection, and perseverance. Do what God gives you today to do and share His love with the people God gives you now.
Prayer: Father God, direct our hearts into Your love and Christ’s perseverance.”
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