Wednesday, 6th November

READING

2 Corinthians 6:3 – 7:1

MEDITATION

Wouldn’t you love a life that is easy comfortable and less demanding?  In many ways, that is the middle class dream.

In 2 Corinthians 6 verses 4 & 5, Paul speaks about his life:

“Rather as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger…”

This is his experience as a servant of God.  His experience may be unique, but in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 1, Paul calls us to follow his example as he follows the example of Christ.

God does not call us to be bystanders, applauding the dedicated sacrificial service of God’s servants like Paul, no we are called to serve as well.

At the heart of Christian ministry which we are all called to, is sacrifice. Whether we are even evangelizing unbelievers, going out of our way  to care for those in need, or saying no to something because we know it wouldn’t please God.  Messengers of the cross are marked by the cross.

If we follow Jesus, we will experience opposition and frustration.

What the super Apostles were offering was easier and less demanding, which suited their middle-class culture.  Is that not our temptation today?

John Stott says in his book, The Cross of Christ:  ‘Those of us who are cushioned  by affluence too often regard security as our birth right, safety first as a prudent motto. He asks where is the Spirit of Adventure, the sense of a calculating solidarity with the underprivileged, where are the Christians who are prepared to put service before security, compassion before comfort, hardship before ease.  Thousands of Pioneer Christian tasks are waiting to be done which challenge our complacency and which call for risk.’

Faithful servants of the cross, are always going to be marked by the cross.

PRAYER

(based on Matthew 16: 21-28)

Merciful God,

You call us to follow;

to turn away from our own selfish interests,

and to take up our cross and follow after You,

even if the path is difficult to see,

or is heading in a direction we would never have chosen for ourselves.

Forgive us for being so quick to question,

and so hesitant to follow.

Help us to see with the eyes of faith,

rather than from our own human point of view.

Teach us to follow without fear,

knowing that You are always with us,

leading the way.

Amen.

PRAYERS for TODAY

• Pray that we at CCB that we would not receive Christs’ grace in vain.
• Pray that at CCB we would be given great endurance as we follow Christ.
• Pray that we would not fall for the temptation to live an easier and less demanding life.
• Pray that we would seek to follow the apostle Pauls’ example of sacrificial ministry, as he followed the example of Christ.
• Pray that we would be prepared to put service before security, compassion before comfort, and hardship before ease.
• Pray that at CCB we would be prepared to take risks for the sake of the Gospel.