II Corinthians 4:1-18
There are some really great, memorable verses in today’s reading. Here’s the first: We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (vv. 8-9) In each case the former word reflects Paul’s difficulties and the latter word/phrase reflects God’s partial or full deliverance. I certainly do not know your particular life circumstances for each of you, but I doubt that any of us is being persecuted as Paul was, especially not for the sake of the Gospel. But I do know that we have personal difficulties in our lives, items that trouble us constantly or irregularly, and for which we consistently are asking for full or partial deliverance. For these times Paul has a second, really great, memorable verse: For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison… (v. 17) Paul says that we simply cannot dwell on these earthly difficulties; we have eternal joy to look forward to!
Verse 11 can be somewhat confusing when we try to apply it to ourselves: For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. We can imagine Paul writing this about himself. After all, he is writing from Macedonia where he was beaten and jailed in Philippi and run out of town in Thessalonica. So yes, in Macedonia he was constantly being “given over to death for Jesus’ sake”. But how do we apply it to our lives today? I think the answer lies in the phrase, “dying to self”. It’s such a difficult concept for us to apply in our lives – setting aside our personal goals and aspirations and instead seeking what God would have us do. But it’s where we really need to be. What does God want for me? Today! Tomorrow! Next week! Always!!
Most of you know Mark Bruner. He and Tommie are wrestling with this question right now! He just finished his Masters at ATS. Now what? It’s not the end for him, it’s a new beginning. But where? And what? Carol and I got a four-page letter from him yesterday, ruminating on where he has been and where he might be headed. They are seriously in need of prayer right now! Please join us.
Slava Bohu!