Endurance
Day 611, Tuesday, April 14
2 Corinthians 4:1 – 5:10
2 Corinthians 4:1 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.”
When I first came across the verse many years ago I was reading the Good News Translation, which renders it as, “God in his mercy has given us this work to do, and so we do not become discouraged.” Either way you read it, it’s a word of encouragement to endure through difficult times. However difficult our circumstances, God is with us.
In verse 7 Paul says, “But we have this treasure in jars to clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
That, too, is an encouraging reminder. It’s tempting to think we aren’t good enough or worthy enough to deserve God’s grace. Paul’s response to that is simple: we aren’t. We are jars of clay: rough and fragile. But the gift God has given to us and placed inside of us is of boundless worth.
Paul doesn’t claim the Christian life will be easy. We are subject to all of the sufferings and limitations that come with being human in this world. Beyond that, we “are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake.”
Suffering will come, but it will not defeat us. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
-Rev. Mark Fleming
Tuesday meditation
Psalms 108:1-13
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
Prayer focus
O God, keep my heart steadfast. You have given me work to do; let me not become discouraged.