“Beyond“, by Rev. Peter von Herrmann
In today’s reading, Paul encourages the Corinthians to remain faithful to God in spite of their physical struggles. Paul reminds them that who they are as Christians is far more than how they feel. Too often as Christians, we believe the lie that a life of faith is meant to decrease our discomfort. I would count Jesus as a pretty faithful fellow, and discomfort was definitely part of his human experience!
Being Christian does not exempt us from the challenges of life. If anything, we are faced with greater challenges if we remain faithful to the difficult task of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What we do have, however, is a greater purpose in the midst of the pain- a knowledge that the grace of God continues to reach out to us and to the world through us, for this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.
~Peter von Herrmann
The Word
But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Speak Your Mind