Verse of the Day 10/7

Verse of  the Day 10/7/16

 

2 Corinthians 13:11  Finally, brothers,^a rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

 

Yesterday we considered Paul's call from Colossians 3 to "put on", adorn ourselves with the characteristics of salvation which include compassion, kindness , humility and patience  among  other  things.

 

In today's verse Paul is bringing his  second  letter to the Corinthian church  to a close and leaves them  and  us with a final charge, but before doing so, reminds  them  once  again that they are his brothers and sisters in Christ, we've seen this also with John in Revelation, looking  on them as "partners".  From  here  Paul moves  on to  another  common them "rejoice", praise the  Lord, no matter where you are, rejoice in the  Lord.  Then he goes  on to  the  meat  of  the  matter "aim for restoration or  as The Message  puts it "keep things  in  good repair".  I have an  old  car that I've been "restoring", this  process goes beyond fixing,  it  is to try to  make  it like it was or should be.  But it  won't  do  you any good  to make it look good if the engine  is in disrepair on the inside.  The restoration has to be coupled with daily maintenance, everything,  the  old  and the  new needs to work  in harmony.

 

We are also  to comfort  one  another through our  trials, agree  with one  another  in  our mission to  love the Lord  and  live  for  Him, and  carry along  with  us His peace.  Earlier in the  chapter  Paul called  on  his readers to  examine themselves to  make  sure  that  they were "in the faith".  If we are,  the things described  here will be  easily detectable in our lives, as we considered yesterday we "put  them on" and will  wear  them.

 

All these things  are examples and  evidence  of love and it is because of who  we  follow,  who leads us, who  is  referred  to here as "the  God  of love". 

 

Paul ends the letter with a prayer for them  and for us today.  It will serve as a prayer for y'all.

 

^"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."  2 Corinthians 13:14  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

2 Corinthians 13:11-14The Message (MSG)

^11-13 And that's about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello.

¹⁴ The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

 

 

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