Focus
Be still and rest in the Lord.
Read
2 Corinthians 13:5-10
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?– unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong– not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may become perfect. 10 So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Reflect
Paul is pleading with those that when he gets to see them, he wants to see them doing well. Every pastor who goes away either for a vacation or a sabbatical hopes that the church is in good health when they return. The truth is we can all become complacent in life and just be going on autopilot. We have to take time and examine ourselves. In the liturgical calendar that is what Lent is all about—self-examination. So if we don’t have that built into our calendars then we need to take time and check ourselves. Are we following Christ the way we ought to in life? We are to strive to be holy even though we are weak. The Confession of Faith says in 6.07 “Good works are done in thankful response to the gift of God’s grace. God graciously accepts the works of believers despite their many weaknesses and imperfect motives” (p17, 2015).
Pray
Heavenly Father, when we face the test of life, may we be guided by your Holy Spirit, seeking after things that are of You, helping to buildup those around us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Go with God!
