Deut. 4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Joel 2:3 A fire consumes before them
And behind them a flame burns.
The land is like the garden of Eden before them
But a desolate wilderness behind them,
And nothing at all escapes them.
There is nothing passive about the love of God. His love is an all consuming fire that both goes before us and behind us. It’s His wild and relentless love that lures us to passionately pursue Him, and extravagantly obey His slightest desires; and it’s His love that provokes us to let go of all rivals, and leave behind all that compromise first love for Him in our hearts. This is what it means to be “controlled,” or “compelled” by the love of God. To “leave our nets behind,” and “to follow Him,” is the result of encountering the love of Jesus; and the more you encounter will determine the more you leave behind, and the more recklessly you will follow. His love is a glorious addiction for which you’ll sacrifice anything.