God’s timeliness

 

READ 2 Corinthians 1–4

Last night’s dream made me feel ashamed when I woke up. It was only a dream but God put my thinking right by a prayer I read right away — it was about how Jesus bore my shame. These ‘coincidences’ happen often. I might be upset one day and the Bible reading that day comforts me. We hear good news and God tells me to rejoice with those who rejoice. Because He touches me where I am, I know that the words He gave Paul for this second letter to the church in Corinth was touching their needs.

Obviously, they were suffering because the first section speaks of “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” and then tells them to use that comfort to comfort others so they will realize even affliction has purpose that God’s blessing can be shared. (2 Corinthians 1:3–7) That also is a comfort.

Paul’s example is his own experience of comfort in suffering. He told of being “utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself” and “felt that we had received the sentence of death” yet God showed him that this “was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” Then he asked them to comfort him and his fellow workers by praying for them.” (2 Corinthians 1:8–11)

Later on, he talked about forgiveness; this must have been a problem for them. The timely warning told them if they remained that way they would be “outwitted by Satan” for this was one of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:10–11)

These believers may have been discouraged over something or overjoyed about a victory too, but either way they needed to remember to thank God “who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” As they lived for Him, they would be the “aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” but they could not do this themselves! (2 Corinthians 2:14–16) Later, this lesson was restated:

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:5–6)

This was their recurring problem, and mine. I cannot live in the power of the flesh (my old nature) nor by the letter of the law. Only the Spirit of God can enable me to live for Christ.

Paul reminded them of the OT saints who had the same problem. They could not see their need for grace either. It is “only through Christ” that blindness is taken away. Even as Christians, we know we cannot keep the laws of God and must keep our eyes on Jesus. This is because . . .

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:14–18)

I see spiritual blindness in those who do not believe and realize it is “the god of this world” that keeps them “from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” I also know that it was God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” and who shone in my hearts to give me the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But I have this treasure in a jar of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to me. (2 Corinthians 4:3–7) When I get full of myself, God reminds me who I am and who He is!

For this reason, I must die to self for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in me. As Paul said to this church, I’m not to lose heart. My outer self grows old and wastes away, but my inner self is being renewed day by day. For this “light momentary affliction is preparing for me an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as I look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

Thank You, Jesus. You changed the first thoughts of my day into this gracious reminder of one day I’ll not have bad dreams or be upset with myself. Instead, I’ll be totally transformed to be like You.