Tues., 3/8/16 Devotion (2 Cor. 7:5b)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Corinthians 7:5b, where we read these words (of Paul):

" . . . Outside were conflicts, inside were fears."

The Christian’s church life, with all its attendant human relationships, is both the most glorious of all fellowships; but it can also be the most painful and grievous. The Apostle Paul is describing (above) how he himself felt, in re-gard to the Corinthian congregation, after he was forced to upbraid them for their sin (in a previous, no longer extant epistle).

The whole thing had made Paul sad, nervous, and even "fearful." He was fi-nally comforted by Titus' report (cf. v. 6 ff.)—but in the meantime he was quite tormented in his soul. In light of all this, let us who are sincere believers in Jesus be aware that we "put our hearts on the line" when we join in covenant with others (in the church). Though it can sometimes be very painful; it is al-ways the right thing to do—since our Savior Himself set us the example, by joining Himself to us (His redeemed church).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Trust [God] where you cannot trace Him. God is most in His way, when we think He is most out of the way.” —Thomas Wat-son, in, "A Body of Divinity"]