2 Corinthians 5: 11 We know what it means to
fear the Lord, and so we try to persuade others. God knows us completely, and I
hope that in your hearts you know me as well. 12 We are not trying again to
recommend ourselves to you; rather, we are trying to give you a good reason to
be proud of us, so that you will be able to answer those who boast about
people's appearance and not about their character. 13 Are we really insane? It is
for God's sake. Or are we sane? Then it is for your sake. 14 We are ruled by the love of
Christ, now that we recognize that one man died for everyone, which means that
they all share in his death. 15 He died for all, so that those who live
should no longer live for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised
to life for their sake.
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“We may lose the
account” were the words that sparked my effort. I stayed at work for 36 hours,
trying to finish the proposal for new work. The effort was wasted as the client
had already made an agreement with some other firm.
- I lived to work and worked to live.
- I used all of my waking hours working or thinking about work.
- I was on a cycle of working to take vacations, buy stuff and live it up, so I needed to work hard.
Paul speaks of a
choice to live for. In this passage he spoke about people who were wealthy
enough to focus on their appearance. But they were not concerned about their
character. He tried to persuade everyone to “fear the LORD.” Why? Because HE
died and was raised to life.
My Observations
- GOD wants me to live for only JESUS.
- GOD wants me to see everyone around me as HIS possession.
- GOD wants me to seek those who are actively rejecting HIM because JESUS died and was raised from the dead for all who believe.
It’s alright to work,
buy nice things and go on vacations. But sometimes the “it’s alright” thought
pattern leaves no room for GOD. I mean, it was alright to work hard, but never
at the detriment of seeing people who need to hear the message of the “love of
CHRIST.”
“It’s alright” can
sometimes blind me to actually living for JESUS. It takes surrender to reduce
the “It’s alright” enough to see what GOD wants me to do and say and “be.”
Sometimes the battle is against comfort rather than the obvious things humans
label as evil. I am glad the HOLY SPIRIT is patient with me and guides me
little by little to live for HIM.
Challenge
- What do you recognize in the writers words?
- Have you ever assessed the conflict of living in comfort versus reducing some comforts to help others?
- Is there anything you can surrender that is “alright” to do so you can focus more on living for JESUS?
- What does it look like to live for CHRIST more and more each day?
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