Jayamsih..! Welcome to today’s devotion.
Is he puffing up with pride?1 Corinthians 9:1
- Paul has many words that reveal what grace can do to a person. Let us remember that Paul had no ill intention of being followed by a large congregation, but rather he says, “I beseech you” – that is, on my knees I beseech you not to live your life in pride in the freedom of Adam’s rebellion. I want you to meditate and follow what you have done in me by the Spirit of grace. My sorrows are for your sake. When I throw you into the deep, it will reveal to you what you will be if you are thrown into the deep. He goes before his people as a shepherd.” Paul has said many things about him. But those were not idle words full of pride. These were words spoken while he was standing in the certainty of who he was in Christ. Again and again we can find this principle appearing in the word of God. God uses people to show us our possibilities through Christ. Paul’s life is a model of our Christianity. There is a difference between Jesus Christ our example and Paul whom we follow (1 Corinthians 11:1). We follow both, but note the difference. Jesus never sinned, but we do. Jesus was, and is, grace and truth, so he never had to take these things for granted. Paul needed to receive grace and truth, and so do we. Because despite his weakness, Paul is our model because of his ability to allow grace to constrain him and build him into the image of Christ. Jesus Christ is the person we look up to, and Paul is our example as we press toward that goal.
- Today’s Reading: Psalms 130-132