Today's Scripture
1 Corinthians 9:19-25
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Job 25-27; 1 Corinthians 9
“Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!
You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.”
What does this passage mean to me/us? Contributed by Rich McGimsey
Early on Paul, when his name was Saul, was a strict follower of the law. The law keeps us in line by fear. Fear of the consequences, fear of societal stigma and fear of God. Jesus brought a message of grace and mercy. He chose to win over the hearts and minds through love. Paul had a powerful conversion encounter with Jesus that was so dramatic it changed his life and his name from Saul to Paul. He now understood that if he met people where they are in life he had a better chance to win them over to Christ. God wants us to live a holy life, not out of fear of punishment for having broken the law, but out of love for Christ who died for us. Under the law the motive was fear. Under grace the motive is love. Paul says the message of Christ’s love is so great that you shouldn’t just talk about it, but live it by joining people where they are in their life. To minister to the unchurched you have to leave the church. This is where it gets really hard and uncomfortable. Paul encourages us to train like a top athlete in our faith so we can do the very hard work of leading people to a God-saved life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father we praise you for the grace and mercy you have given to us through Jesus Christ your son. We pray that we will follow your will to extend that grace and mercy to those in our community. That we will join those in need where they are in our community to show them the love you have shown us. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ – Amen
Click to subscribe to our Daily Devotion.
You will receive a devotion in your inbox every morning.