Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
July 31, 2021
Read 2 Corinthians 4:6-10
6 God said that light should shine out of the darkness. He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. 8 We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. 9 We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out. 10 We always carry Jesus’ death around in our bodies so that Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies.
Good Morning! Let God’s light shine through you!
As we study the teachings of Jesus, we discover many examples of paradoxes. A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself but proves to be true. This begins with the idea of turning the world upside down in regard to current ideals and values. For example, the first shall be last is an example of a simple paradox. This chapter of 2 Corinthians is full of other examples of contradictions in the beliefs of Jesus’ time. I believe that we still struggle with understanding these ideas today.
The more we advance as a society, the more challenged we become to let things develop slowly. We belong to an instantaneous world. Our everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning take a fraction of the time that our ancestors needed. Consider the hours it took to prepare one meal when you had to go to fetch water and firewood to start the process and having a simple slice of toast meant making bread from scratch. When we want information, we Google it. Right here and right now. It’s hilarious to watch everyone waiting in lines armed with their information and entertainment devices. It’s hard to remember what we did to occupy ourselves before cell phones existed.
We are certainly blessed by these technological advancements and I am not in a hurry to go back to this “simpler” time. However, all of our innovations that have made it possible to accomplish things in an instant have also made it more difficult for us to wait for things to develop. We want our answers and our results right now! Remember when we used to take pictures that we didn’t get developed for days, months, or even years. By the time we saw the pictures, we might not remember even taking it.
God’s time and ways are not our ways. The answer is there, but it may take a considerable time for us to fully understand what is right there all along. God makes all things beautiful in His Time. Only through a deep, mature relationship with God that develops over time, may we begin to glimpse the glory that God reveals to us as we are ready. The last three verses of this chapter bring this idea together. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We live in a world that wants to see the fruits of our efforts immediately. Provide us with the strength to endure our challenges so that we are able to find the blessings in our lives. May we praise you when we are happy, when we are sad, and when we are challenged. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God’s strength will see me through.
Embrace the possibilities of the seeds that you plant in God’s name! Pastor Liz
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