Stay close to God at all times
John Povey
September 08, 2023
Add to Favourites
Listen to this daily worship
2 Corinthians 12: 11-21 (NRSVA)
11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it. Indeed you should have been the ones commending me, for I am not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Here I am, ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be a burden, because I do not want what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 Let it be assumed that I did not burden you. Nevertheless (you say) since I was crafty, I took you in by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up. 20 For I fear that when I come, I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may perhaps be quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practised.
The place of service is never easy in church life. There will be people who will misunderstand your motives. In this reading Paul describes some problems at Corinth. Nevertheless it doesn’t stop him from loving the people of God. He was as committed to their wellbeing as Moses was to the task of setting God’s people free.
Moses encountered all sorts of grumblings among his people. He was mocked and ridiculed by Pharaoh many times. But he never gave up. He acted on the Lord’s behalf even when met with opposition.
Moses learned to trust. He just kept going back to that burning bush experience and speaking to the Lord for assurance. He was given a major task that seemed impossible by human standards. To free a whole nation from slavery. Whatever doubts crossed his mind during the adventure, Moses maintained his relationship with God.
Life may not always go as we would like. Some days will be favourable to us, and some days not.This should never be a reason for us to distance ourselves from the Lord.
We must work to showcase the same level of trust in God that Moses learned. If we see that God can do great things through one man, what can He do through us? Moses doubted because he looked at the circumstances. When he managed to trust, he looked to God. We should do the same. When life becomes challenging, stay close to the Lord.
Our commission comes from I AM and that is all we need to know. After all it is only around 130 handshakes to get back to Moses.
PRAYER:
Lord, continue to direct us one next step at a time. In moments of weakness, may we run closer to you. Give us courage to remember that you are the author of the story and know how this story progresses. You are a faithful God. Remind us that you are in control as we trust you this day. Amen.
Login to comment.