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2 Corinthians 6:1-13 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
Our starting point for any endeavor, especially Christian service, is to ask the Lord to be right here with us, right now. Our prayer should be, "Lord, let me see Your face right beside me and in me!" This was Paul's starting point, for he had seen the Risen Christ confront him and challenge him to change his life; so should our daily encounter with Christ. We can never approach Him and say, "Lord, I am right where I need to stay and be: Comfortable and Happy." Nope. That would be to accept God's grace in vain. God's grace has come to challenge us to move beyond where we think we are to the place where God would have us be. Salvation came to us when we realized we could and should not stay in our sin. Salvation was God's way to removing our sin and moving us to that place where we enjoy the fullness of life and that was our starting point of a long journey towards perfection in love in this lifetime. And, as the long list in today's passage says, it is not an easy journey, but it is a blessed one. The list also says a forgiving and trusting heart is what has allowed Paul and the other followers to do and say the things to which they were called; so should we.
The "bad list" of sufferings and challenges ends with the list that gets us through: "purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God." Read that list again, slowly and carefully and ask yourself if you are truly in possession of those things for your life. If you are not, then it may be why you've been so comfortable lately. The list continues with the weapons with which we live life; "the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left," meaning two-handed battle against evil, injustice, and oppression. No matter what insult or injury may come our way, we remain true and loyal to Jesus. Paul believed in a wide open heart, a love so poured out that it can be compared to a fire hydrant of love - holding nothing back, putting no conditions on our love, just loving others the way God loves us. And for those who are not yet there, Paul said, "Open wide your hearts also."
PRAYER: Awesome and Loving God, open wide my heart to love as You love me. Help me to love with forgiveness to others, especially those who seek to harm or injure me as I seek to serve You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
