For Jesus’ Sake

God lives and works today. His entire nature is love, and when we allow ourselves to be remolded into His image, our whole lives will radiate love. This, in turn, will bring us and others rich blessings and endless fruit.

Today's program by Basilea Schlink shares how one woman experienced this. The drive for self-preservation has a deep root in all of us. In every situation, this instinct connives so that I don't come out on the short end, so that I don't get too heavy a load.

My home or situation doesn't suffer loss. It was this drive that caused so many difficulties after World War II, when countless refugees streamed into West Germany from the east. Yet during this time, one woman prepared herself inwardly to receive the refugees.

Out of love for Jesus, she wanted to receive them as Jesus Himself would, according to the word of Scripture in Ezekiel chapter 47. The aliens who reside among you shall be to you as the native-born sons of Israel. The woman and her husband were both elderly, and by right both needed peace and quiet.

However, when they were suddenly assigned a refugee family of seven, they didn't offer any resistance or utter a single word of complaint. On the contrary, they received them with great love and acted completely according to the word of Scripture in Ezekiel. The woman divided the rooms of the house so that she and her husband received two, and the other family seven.

But she didn't stop there. The last of the flour supply, the meat, the canned goods, the furniture, the utensils, the silverware, the soap, the bed linen, and all the beds they could spare. Yes, everything was equally shared.

Then the refugee mother became seriously ill, so that for a long time the burden of caring for her and the five children fell upon this elderly woman. She even became a substitute mother for the children when the sick woman died. This love for Jesus' sake was not always easy, but it brought endless fruit.

Their house became known in the whole town as a place of peace and blessing. Furthermore, the elderly couple had been worried about what would become of their small shoe factory because they had no children. Now everything was taken care of.

The father of the refugee family was a shoemaker. Oh, that we who live daily from the love of Jesus might all be kindled to the same love for Him that this woman had. It was a love which reaches out and embraces our neighbors for Jesus' sake.

God has chosen you also to reflect His image of love on earth. May your whole life be love lived out. Strive to obtain love more than anything else.

It is love which can accomplish the greatest deeds for Jesus' kingdom. Through love you'll bring forth the greatest fruit. Therefore, hate yourself, love, for hate will kill it, and make room for the true love which comes from Him.

Otherwise, all your work will be in vain. Dear Lord, let me become like You. Bring love in me to birth.

Spending my love upon earth. The love that makes heaven on earth. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan.

To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address.

God bless you.