2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 5:5-10
Kel sent me a text this morning to let me know she had been reading 2 Corinthians 4 and encouraged me to read it. I was on my way out to get started @ Starbucks. It’s one of my places...or it once was my place. It’s been a while since I’ve had my quiet times there. But I’m getting back into it again. It’s good to find a place where you can be ‘alone’ with the Father and hear from him. I know some people who get in their closets and just wait on the Lord to meet them there. It was once described to me in a book...it’s like Jesus is sitting in your closet and He’s planned this incredible date for you, He’s been planning your date since before the creation of the world (how many guys do you know could do this?) and He can’t WAIT to see you! Everything is set, but then He looks down at His watch and notices you were supposed to meet him an hour ago. He longs to spend time with you. Even when you’re angry with Him, He wants to hear your heart and longs to be the One to make it better. He desires above all things to love you more today. But you know that God loves you and just decided to reschedule and go out with your friend for lunch. Don’t get me wrong, you and I both know that nothing you do will ever change God’s heart for you. But are you doing everything you can to make your relationship with our Jesus intimate? Know that God’s watch means nothing to Him. He can turn back the time and start that day over for you. Just ask Him :)
I opened up to 2 Corinthians 4 and started reading. I think a lot of times, we tend to read and reread certain things and they never really click in our spirits. This would typically be when I flip over the pages until I find something else to read. This clicked. And IT IS GOOD.
The NKJV reads the scripture like this,
16. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Paul was previously speaking about our mortal bodies and how we who live, are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Saying that, in order for Jesus to be manifested in us, we must daily die to ourselves. By the Lord’s grace, he allows us to be delivered over to death. In doing so, our ‘inward man’ is being renewed. Rejoice in your sufferings!
17. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceedingly and eternal weight of glory.” Did you ever feel like this when you’re hurting? Your affliction is actually working for you!? Not against you. It is for your eternal glory. Romans 8:17 says, “...and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” That’s a pretty incredible thing to get to experience. We have free will; we have a choice. How will you face your trials today? Will you go with Him and endure these sufferings so that He will be glorified? Or will you live in self-pity and tell Jesus His sacrifice meant nothing?
18. “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Be thankful! In suffering and trials, God is saying to you, “I’m giving you an opportunity again today to glorify me with your actions.” Don’t be concerned with what’s happening to your physical body, rejoice in what God is doing inside of you; the things which you cannot see. You’re growing!
I think I’ll save 2 Corinthians 5:5-10 for tomorrow...or this evening...or a year from now.
I’m going to have to figure out how to get out of Starbucks. A group of women have conveniently just trapped me into a back corner. Oh...another one just joined. Awesome.
Be blessed today and know that you are completely loved by someone far greater than any man on this earth. In fact, He created you with that same love! That’s got to mean something...
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